Cell 104
by The Androgynous Alchemist
Summary: When Beyond Birthday was told he was having a prison transfer, he had every right to be suspicious. Kira was becoming a household name in Japan, and L was becoming desperate for a solution. How long will L withhold his trust?
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: **When Beyond Birthday was told he was having a prison transfer, he had every right to be suspicious. Kira was becoming a household name in Japan, and L was becoming desperate for a solution. How will the investigation progress with another person on board?

**Disclaimer: ** Death Note belongs to Tsugami Ohba and Takeshi Obata, and _**Death Note**_ Another _**Note: The Los Angeles**_ BB _**Murder Cases**_belongs to Nisio Isin. I own nothing but the plot.

**Warnings: **Spoilers for anyone who has never read The Los Angeles Murder Cases, you probably won't know who Beyond Birthday is either.

**/AN: **Well, I've been reading a lot of Death Note Fan fiction lately, which is unusual for me. I am aware that many people have used a similar concept before; I hope that my interpretation won't be labelled as copying. As always you are welcome to let me know of any mistakes. Wow this is becoming a bit of a lecture isn't it? Anyway, enjoy! **/**

* * *

The very moment that Beyond Birthday regained consciousness, he knew that he'd failed. L had won, and quite honestly it had hardly come as a shock or a surprise to him. After all, what were the chances of pulling the wool over the eyes of one of the most successful detectives in the world?

The prospect of losing had occurred to him more than once, almost frequently in fact. It was something that he didn't like to think about, which of course was only natural.

Each passing second had been an opportunity for both of them to progress, outwit and succeed victoriously against each other, however Beyond knew that without the murder case L would have had no intention or opportunity of competing against him. He was just one of his many successors, the insignificant Back Up that he had long forgotten and never met personally.

To him, Birthday was just a letter.

'_He who moves first, wins._'

Unfortunately for BB, his own words had severely backfired on him, and honestly, he hadn't won anything.

He hadn't even succeeded in taking his own life, let alone beating L. He'd used that motto his entire life.

The only sincere encouragement he had ever received in his life was from himself. Many would think that if the raven lacked in such support, surely he would have no reason, no desire to set such demanding ambitions, to challenge his rival.

Fortunately for Beyond, it had only pushed him further, and in that sense he had succeeded in _something_.

* * *

He was awake, yet still drifting in the shallow waters of slumber. It was during moments like these that BB was often at risk from his own thoughts.

When he was tired, his conscience was brutally honest, and sometimes... it could really mess with his head.

'_You're pathetic,' _a familiar voice in his head whispered with brutality, _'You failed again didn't you? You've heard what they say... if it happens once; it's more likely to happen again.'_

'_It won't.'_

'_Says who?'_

'_Me.'_

It was at that moment, that the voices in Beyond's head retreated into submission.

Since then, they hadn't returned, not once.

The feeling was wonderful.

* * *

It was an early Sunday morning in Los Angeles and Beyond Birthday couldn't find a single morsel of energy to pry himself from bed.

Bed.

The notorious piece of furniture was most definitely not a bed. Beds were_ comfortable_. This is what he imagined it would feel like should he chose to sleep on the concrete floor with a thin blanket and a flat pillow. His back ached, his feet were ice cold, and the prospect of eating another cold meal didn't seem entirely plausible.

This was his current life, trapped between four dull walls, the door always latched shut and the only window was too high to reach.

For a majority of his days B would perch on the edge of the bed, hands on his knees and his spine curved into a comfortable slouch, thumb in his mouth and eyes focused on that same spot on the wall while he listened to the guards patrol the hallway. He couldn't ignore the heavy bunch of keys rattling loudly with each step.

It was more than just irritating.

Sometime in the afternoon, someone would fetch him for his shower while the other inmates were absent from the corridors. When his time was up, he'd go back, to the same four walls.

Although hardly anyone had seen him accept the police officers, the secrecy of the inmate in cell 104 was the subject of much conversation and countless rumours.

There were endless theories about him. Some said he was a celebrity, while others labelled him a psychopath, stating that the reason he was isolated, was because he was a danger to the staff and other prisoners.

They called him a lunatic.

Beyond considered himself to be many things, sick, twisted, dark, but a lunatic was not part of his self assessment. He was definitely NOT a lunatic. People assumed that because he had taken lives, he had to be ill in the head, or worse, mad.

It couldn't have been further from the truth.

"Did you hear?"

"Yeah... The rapist in 83 wasn't it?"

"They say Kira did it..."

"Maybe if we're lucky, he'll take this guy off our hands too..."

Tangled in a mass of sheets, Beyond could hear the rattle of keys and the unmistakable click of the latch.

Something was up.

He was never called for this early, _ever_.

The door groaned on its hinges and two men in uniform entered, armed with two ominous looking guns and pair of silver handcuffs.

"This certainly is a surprise," the raven yawned, his words dripping with sarcasm, "I didn't think I was allowed visitors. Do make yourselves comfortable..."

"Get up,** now**."

Untangling his limbs one by one B ran a hand through his severely tousled black hair and stood, slipping his bare feet into a pair of lace less white shoes.

"Where are your laces?" The tallest of the two demanded, eyeing the raven sternly with a pair of piercing green eyes.

"I'm not allowed any." He answered simply, averting his gaze to the open door. "Special occasion?"

"You're being transferred."

'_A transfer?' H_e thought. _'But for what purpose?'_

"Now that is a shame. I made such good friends here too..."

"Hands behind your back."

Once again, Beyond found himself subjected to the uncomfortable sensation of handcuffs, much too tight for his liking as they always were, digging into his skinny wrists.

For the first time he finally set eyes on the other inmates during his parting stroll down the long corridor. He could feel their eyes upon him, their long, curious gazes lingering on his pale, scarred figure, feet lazily scuffing the floor.

He was no celebrity.

He was... different, and decided to return those gazes with an eerie, memorable smile.

"Walk properly."

"I am."

"Straight."

"If I do that I might possibly break in half. Wouldn't want to make a mess now would I?"

He could hear the whispers.

"_He's British... No wonder they locked him up..."_

"_Must be a bit feisty, hasn't even got laces in his shoes..."_

"_Maybe Kira will have him."_

"Kira?" Beyond asked curiously, giving one man a long, bug eyed stare.

"Never you mind," the guard said, guiding the raven through the large door and securely locking it behind him. There were three officers waiting patiently, all heavily armed and ready to take Beyond outside, for his brief taste of freedom.

"You'll go with them now."

"So soon? We were getting along so nicely. Well, it was nice to meet you Brian and Michael, have a good day."

As Beyond began to disappear from sight, Michael gave his colleague a puzzled stare.

"Did we tell him our names?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: ** Death Note belongs to Tsugami Ohba and Takeshi Obata, and _**Death Note**_ Another _**Note: The Los Angeles**_ BB _**Murder Cases**_belongs to Nisio Isin.

**/AN:** I am surprised that I managed to write another chapter so soon... I hope that becomes a regular occurrence. I ask that you don't complain about anyone being out of character, because if so, I will ignore you. This is Fan fiction. Not perfect fiction. What happened to my authors notes? All I seem to do in this space in moan. Sorry!**/**

* * *

It wasn't the first time that Beyond had been left in complete darkness. In fact, it was becoming a regular occurrence and it was always with little or no explanation.

After all, a severe law breaker such as himself did not deserve to have one, although he strongly disagreed of course.

A murder or not the raven was still entitled to an explanation, not that it mattered to anyone else. As long as he remained in a cell, the world could continue, and the innocent civilians would not need to panic.

BB found the thought rather amusing, the thought that someone somewhere could be remotely afraid of _him_.

He was a skinny, pale and frail excuse of a man. There were pensioners more ominous looking than him, body builders with enormous shoulders and muscles that could easily damage a person with almost no effort at all, like snapping a pencil in half.

There were many men and women that had taken lives, that had managed to butcher a person like a piece of raw meat, yet they lacked the intelligence to succeed. A majority of criminals were stupid, and for this reason, many of them found themselves serving a long sentence in jail.

Naomi Misora had gotten lucky. If it hadn't been for Beyond practically piecing the clues together he wouldn't be confined like an animal in the dark, completely utterly alone.

He wouldn't be alive at all.

The idiot of a man hadn't even had the decency to remove his handcuffs. He sat, leaning against the wall with a pair of long, slender legs stretched out in front of him, aching against the hard floor.

Why were floors always so uncomfortable? The raven was yet to find a cell that possessed a soft carpet.

Apart from the occasional drip of a tap, the entire room was engulfed in silence. Where ever he was it was far from the bustling life of the city. Not even the faint hum of traffic was audible through the thick walls.

The transfer itself, had been interesting to say the least, and mildly exhausting. After being dumped in the back of a large, black vehicle, the swarm of officers had disappeared. Instead, had stood a single man dressed in a large grey coat with a hat and a thick scarf, shielding his face from view.

It had shielded him enough to allow his identity to remain a complete mystery, although Beyond hardly needed a name to know the man wasn't a fully fledged police officer. Without a decent view of his features, Beyond couldn't see a name or a number.

Eventually, curiosity had gotten the better of him, and he'd attempted to hold a civil conversation with the man, even if it had only lasted a matter of minutes.

* * *

"_Mind telling me our destination, sir?"_

_..._

"_A surprise? How wonderful! I do love surprises, although lately I have become not so fond of them..."_

_..._

"_Are you kidnapping me?" He grinned, leaning forward, his head resting on the back of the driver's seat._

"_Kidnapping you? For what purpose?"_

"_And so he speaks," the raven muttered, almost inaudibly, "there must a bounty on my head somewhere. A few million dollars I'd say... what do you think?"_

_Unfortunately, BB's odd sense of humour had once again been almost the complete death of a conversation. His sarcasm never did go down too well in most circumstances... especially this one it seemed._

_The car was pleasantly comfortable. The interior was soft, clean and remarkably spacious, while the windows and the paint work were spotless and scratch free._

_Beyond really was beginning to think that he was a celebrity._

"_They should have told me I was being driven in style... I would have dressed for the occasion."_

_Pressing his pale cheek to the cold glass, BB couldn't help but notice a minor detail._

"_You locked me in."_

"_To prevent you from escaping Mr Birthday."_

"_While the car is in motion? Why you must think I am suicidal or something..." _

* * *

After what had felt like a considerable number of hours Beyond was beginning to feel drowsy, and when something began to cackle and spring to life, he had almost mistaken it for a dream.

Suddenly, the thick darkness became pierced by the light from a single television screen, crackling and hissing on the wall opposite him. If his day hadn't been suspicious enough, the raven found himself intrigued by two things.

The first was the fact that he hadn't directly turned it on himself, and the second, was that prisoners such as himself were not granted the luxury of a cell with a television. Usually, they shared, or in the raven's case, didn't get the privilege of watching one at all.

This wasn't an ordinary prison as he had known since his arrival.

Beyonds suspicions were confirmed when the familiar shape of an L began to take form on the flickering screen.

"You bastard."

"I must confess, you don't look half as surprised as what I was expecting Beyond Birthday, I am mildly disappointed."

B had always wanted to challenge the great L, he'd dreamt of doing so, and savoured the taste of victory on the tip of his tongue until it had been stolen from him, like a child with a piece of candy. He'd imagined all kinds of scenarios in his head, but none of them had ever included directly speaking with the man, especially through a television set of all things.

Although it wasn't the detective in person, it still felt just as severe. It made him feel uncomfortable, and B was resisting the urge to squirm. It was unfair that the man could do this too him when he had no means of escape.

Birthday was confined like an animal in a cage, and whatever L had to say to him, he was going to listen, whether he liked it or not. He couldn't even do as little as cover his ears. He felt like an invalid. He wouldn't crack, not when L was watching. BB may have lost his innocence, but he certainly still had plenty of pride.

He could imagine it now, L watching his reaction from each and every angle on a computer screen, watching his head lower in defeat and enjoying every single moment of it.

"I was hardly expecting a conversation, but I must say I am rather disappointed. I was expecting quite a scene."

"I have nothing to say to you."

"I quite understand, the entire situation must be quite a shock to you, my apologies."

"You don't sound very sympathetic."

"How was the journey? Comfortable I presume? I-"

"Shut up," the raven hissed, restraining his seething temper and biting his lip in frustration, "I have nothing to say to you," he repeated.

"You are a sore loser, just like-"

"I SAID, SHUT UP."

* * *

_Beyond raised his head, locking eyes with the camera. When L peered onto the large screen he found a pair of dark eyes glaring back at him menacingly, as if they were staring deep into his soul._

_Despite the fact that the man was only looking at a camera, observing such a facial expression caused the detective to almost forget. There was no mistaking it; it was definitely Beyond Birthday in that cell. Of course L had never laid eyes on the man before other than a small childhood photograph, but he could see that the descriptions he had received were highly accurate._

_Watching B was almost like looking into a mirror._

_Without the hideous scarring blemishing that pale skin, the killer could have easily been mistaken for L. He had not just the remarkable appearance, but also a suitable intelligence level too, almost on par with the detectives._

_L was sure of one thing. The trail of burns crawling from beneath Beyond's shirt probably looked far more intimidating in person than what they did on camera. He was ninety nine percent sure of it._

_The man could prove extremely useful in the Kira investigation. Kira and Beyond Birthday were so similar. They'd both killed without hesitation, and they both __hated__ to lose. The detective knew he was on to something; he was on the verge of a successful breakthrough. All he needed was help, and it would be an almighty battle to retrieve it, from Beyond of all people._

_When the thought had first occurred to him, L had been reluctant to pursue the idea. Now, several months later, it seemed he was running out of options._

_With the help of Light Yagami, Beyond Birthday, and the remaining members of the task force, the raven was sure he could do it. After all, he was yet to find a case that he could not solve. _

* * *

"I have something to ask of you Mr Birthday, if you would care to hear me out."

"I refuse to answer any questions, especially from you."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Such a shame, it was quite an offer too. A once in a life time opportunity in fact..."

...

"What is it?"

"Oh? I thought anything I had to say was of no interest to you."

"Either tell me, or shut the hell up."

"I have an offer for you."

...

"What kind of offer?"

"If you agree to my terms I will release you from your cell."

The very thought of freedom was overwhelming. The very thought of rejecting the offer seemed to him, disgraceful, however Beyond didn't want to appear desperate, or else the detective could use it to his own advantage. It would make BB look pathetic.

"If I release you, in return, I require your assistance."

"What kind of assistance?"

"A case Mr Birthday, a case in which I require further assistance."

"From me? I don't think so. You're keeping something from me, something important."

"I promise you I will keep my word."

"So you're bribing criminals now? Who knew that the great detective L would stoop so low for the sake of salvaging his reputation?"

"I will do whatever it takes when there are lives at risk."

"Why me? Why don't you get that Naomi bitch to do it for you?"

"Naomi Misora is dead."

Dead. The ghastly woman that had shared a vital role in his imprisonment was dead. The raven wasn't entirely sure how to feel. The feeling seeping through his chest was not joy, nor was it satisfaction. It was an entirely new emotion which he had not encountered before.

Resentment?

No, that wasn't it. It couldn't be it. Perhaps, he was disappointed that he had not managed to get even. The woman who had prevented Beyond from taking his own life, was in fact dead herself.

"Anyone I know? Saved me the job... I'd love to congratulate them..."

"BACK UP! I will not tolerate such disrespect from you! Naomi was a reliable and trust worthy woman, and -"

"It's Beyond Birthday to you." BB's tone was enough to send shivers down anyone's spine. He was not a man that could be easily bargained with.

"Very well, _Beyond_. You seem to forget you are not in a position to argue with me, so I will be expecting an answer now."

"No need to speak to me in that tone, L. I find it awfully disrespectful."

* * *

_That cheek, L couldn't stand it. For the first time in many months the detective was beginning to lose his temper. He had a feeling that should Beyond choose to accept he would have to face the consequence of dealing with his sarcasm for a long time. Too long._

"_I think, that I will accept your offer on one condition."_

"_Condition?"_

"_A jar of jam."_

"_Jam?"_

"_Yes, jam. Actually, make that two- no. Three jars. Three jars of jam, and I'm all yours honey."_

"_Your conditions are painfully shallow."_

"_Four jars."_

_At the press of a button the screen went black, and once again, L had left Beyond Birthday in complete darkness. Taking a deep breath, he pulled a mobile phone from his pocket, and dialled a number with his long, slender fingers._

"_Watari?"_

"_Yes?"_

"_Release him."_

"_Are... are you sure?"  
_

"_Positive. It is best we do not keep him waiting as he is prone to irritation."_

"_Very well. I will see you as soon as possible."_

"_Thank you... Watari?"_

"_Yes?"_

"_Look after yourself."_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **Death Note belongs to Tsugami Ohba and Takeshi Obata, and _**Death Note**_ Another _**Note: The Los Angeles**_ BB _**Murder Cases**_belongs to Nisio Isin. I own nothing but the plot.

**Spoilers: **Watari's true identity and L's real name.

**Note: **This chapter takes place when Light and Misa have been released from confinement. They have lost their memories of the Death Note.

**/AN: **This isn't a moan, honestly! Just something I would like to say before someone leaves a review about it. The Los Angeles Murder Case doesn't specify Beyond's natural eye colour, so I decided to make them hazel. In the Death Note anime Shinigami eyes are viewed as red purely for the reader/viewers benefit. Thanks! **/**

* * *

"Something wrong?" Watari asked, watching the raven stop dead in tracks to observe the large building towering over him.

Beyond's hazel eyes wandered curiously, counting each and every single floor.

"Twenty three floors? I am rather disappointed; I was expecting something much larger."

It was odd how such an enormous building could fail to look suspicious. Despite the scale, somehow it managed to blend in with the rest of Tokyo, although how, it would forever remain a mystery to Beyond. He could see no signs, no lettering, nothing to identify the place. If L had owned a street B imagined that somehow, the man probably would have found a way to wipe it from every map or satellite in the world.

The windows were tinted, rows of black smoky glass built into each floor.

'_Definitely not suspicious,_' Beyond thought, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

With yet another pair of handcuffs tightly binding his wrists Beyond took one last glance at the world before following Watari inside. He knew that it would be a long time until he could stand like this, so close to normal civilisation. It was time for him to get back in his cage, the confinement of justice.

The sky was black, a swarm of swollen clouds shadowing the city like a dark ominous shadow.

It felt like being imprisoned all over again. The door clicked shut behind him, a sound that was all too familiar; the sound of being locked in.

The mysterious man in grey led him to room that was occupied by two compartments, which were etched into the wall either side of a large door. He proceeded to remove his coat and placed it into the compartment, followed by his hat and a long winding scarf.

_'Quillsh Wammy'_

For the first time since their meeting Beyond finally saw a face.

The great Wammy himself, an elderly gentleman with grey hair, a moustache and a pair of think black spectacles.

He could have laughed. Who knew that the great founder of Wammy's house was working for L like a slave?

"After you," Watari said, gesturing for B to stand in front of the large door.

**BEEP.**

The raven glared at the flashing red cross, and watched Watari pull small silver key from his pocket and proceed to remove the handcuffs from his wrists. The cross disappeared, and the door slid wide open, revealing a large white office with an entire of wall of monitors. It also held three unoccupied computers and three chairs lining a single desk.

Beyond smiled and flexed his wrists, burying them deep into his jean pockets with satisfaction.

"I'll be back in a moment."

B was left alone in the large office with the urge to explore. This was one room, a very big room. The entire building had hundreds of them.

The security was immense, locks, codes, cameras, scanners; there was absolutely no means of escape.

This was far worse than prison.

* * *

"It will be troublesome if you make this a habit," L sighed as his clothes began to soak, his bare feet submerged in a large, icy puddle, "I thought that this door was locked."

"It was," a voice replied, barely audible over the sound of the hammering rain.

It was the first time that L had seen Beyond in person. He'd seen photographs of all the children that had passed through Wammy's orphanage, and B was no exception. Obviously, he looked nothing like his photograph anymore.

The hair that had once been short and tamed now shadowed his face with a long raven fridge, much like the detectives. He was skinny, his back and shoulder blades were clearly visible through the black fabric of his long sleeved shirt.

Unlike Ryuzaki, Beyond looked remarkably youthful. There were no dark circles under his eyes, nor did they bulge from their sockets with immense exhaustion and stress.

Despite B's best efforts to conceal it, L could still see a small fraction of the large scar covering his body, emerging from his collar and coiling around his throat like a snake.

Despite the similarities and differences between them, nothing changed the fact that the killer was merely an imitation.

Beyond was sat comfortably on the rooftop, his long legs hanging over the railing, swinging back and forth like pendulum. He was soaked to the bone, his sopping wet clothes clung tightly to his pale skin, hair clung to his cheeks, and with both hands he clung tightly to the railing, as if his life depended on it.

"You'll catch a cold," L muttered from the doorway, watching B with mild fascination.

"Now wouldn't that be tragic."

Craning his neck to the dark sky, Birthday sighed in content as he felt the rain drip from his cheeks. He began to laugh wickedly, a fit of cackles bubbled from his chest.

"Do you know how long it's been since I last saw the rain?"

"Come inside, we have much to discuss."

"Later."

"The taskforce shall be arriving soon."

"I'm comfortable."

"I highly doubt that Beyond."

"You could always sit with me," B said, turning to face the detective with an eerie grin, "I don't bite unless I feel threatened. I promise."

L took one look at B, and then took one glance at the drop between himself and the pavement.

"Nervous?" Beyond gazed into L's dark grey eyes and smiled triumphantly.

_'L Lawliet'_

It was like a dream.

The raven resisted the urge to pinch himself.

Not only was he in the company of L for the very first time, he also knew his true identity. He'd become so entirely absorbed in reading the man's name repeatedly that he'd forgotten how odd he probably looked to L, as if he were staring into space like a lunatic.

"Something bothering you B?" The detective asked bluntly.

"Nothing really. I was just estimating how long it would take for me to hit the ground from the highest floor... What do you think?"

"Inside, _now_."

Beyond knew that with almost no effort at all he could easily fall. All it would take was for him to lose balance or let go and he'd be done for, and L would be peeling him from the pavement below with a shovel like road kill. The thought itself was rather amusing.

"It would be so easy to just slip..."

"Beyond."

"Nervous?"

"You're sitting on the edge of my roof."

"There's no need to look so worried. You don't think I would fall on purpose now do you?"

L's face was an absolute picture.

Staring wide eyed with his gaze focused on the frail railing, it was almost as if he were expecting B to jump. He was sure that the man wouldn't hesitate to throw himself off a building; after all, it wasn't as if he hadn't tried to take his own life before. The scars were proof of that. Deep down, L knew that B would probably do such a thing for his own amusement, because he knew that his death would cause a mess.

"I'll only say this one more time. Come inside B."

"Yes sir."

Swinging his legs over the railing, Beyond headed for the doorway. It gave him immense satisfaction knowing that he was dripping water all over the detective's beautifully clean carpet, leaving a trail of footprints behind him.

"Where are you going? The office is the opposite staircase," L said plainly.

"To my room."

"I have not assigned you a room yet."

"I chose one."

"I already have a room prepared for you."

"I like this one," the raven muttered stubbornly, disappearing down a long, winding staircase.

"You won't want the jam I left for you then."

"Which room?"

"102."

...

"I'm on it."

* * *

"Good afternoon Yagami, Amane, it's good to see that you've both arrived in one piece."

"Welcome back?" Light cried furiously, grabbing L's collar much to his father's protest. "You ordered my own father to hold a gun to my head!"

"The gun wasn't loaded Raito kun."

"Oh, and I suppose that makes it ok? You're a sick, twisted, evil-"

Before Light could continue, he was interrupted by the loud slamming of a door to his right. Much to the teenager's surprise, a raven haired man entered carrying a small jar, glaring daggers at L.

Peeling Light's hand from the detective's collar, he replaced it with his own and proceeded to shatter several ear drums with a loud, frustrated yell.

"You have some explaining to do. Would you like to tell me what this is?" He said, gesturing to the jar in his hand.

"That would be the jam you asked for," L replied simply, unfazed by his current predicament, almost as if he had been expecting it.

"But its blackberry!"

"You did not specify a particular type of jam when we made our agreement."

"You bastard."

It took several moments for the two men to realise that they were being watched by the entire taskforce.

Beyond had certainly made his entrance, unintentional or not. If first impressions were always essential, he had a feeling that he would never be seen as sane by any member of the team, ever. They probably thought he was mad, although they weren't entirely wrong.

"A friend of yours Ryuzaki?" Matsuda asked curiously.

"He is your new colleague."

"Ryuzaki?" Beyond asked, looking slightly puzzled.

"To prevent my identity as L from being leaked, I am referred to as Ryuzaki."

"I'll keep that in mind... Ryuzaki," Beyond muttered. _'Ryuzaki,' _he thought curiously, _'Where have I heard that name before?'_

Beside him, the brunette that he had rudely interrupted earlier held out his hand in greeting, undoubtedly for him to shake.

'_Light Yagami'_

Of course, there was no need for the teenager to introduce himself to Beyond, the man could already see his full name in a mass of black letters that hung limply above his head.

"Light Yagami," the teen said, with a false smile that made BB fight the urge to vomit.

"Nice to meet you Light," he replied with a grin. "You may call me B."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **Death Note belongs to Tsugami Ohba and Takeshi Obata, and _**Death Note**_ Another _**Note: The Los Angeles**_ BB _**Murder Cases**_belongs to Nisio Isin.

**/AN: **Just a curious question, how many of you have read The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases? I have a suspicion that most people have heard of Beyond Birthday but they don't know much about him or how he relates to Death Note. If you didn't know there are Death Note novels, I highly recommend that you read them!**/**

* * *

After an awkward introduction, headquarters soon resumed its usual routine, and the remainder of the day had been salvaged to vaugley resemble an average afternoon; well, almost.

The sound of clattering keyboards filled the air and the scent of strong coffee accompanied it, drifting through the large room like a bad draft.

Beyond had come to a decision that the excitement of the day's events had simply become too much for him, and he thought it was best to surrender to exhaustion rather than fight it like L. Crouching on a white chair he proceeded to watch the task force at work while nursing the cold jar in his lap.

He disliked the office chairs very much.

Unlike Ryuzaki, B had not yet mastered the art of sitting so 'comfortably' on a chair with wheels. If the raven made any sudden movements, he was certain that he'd end up in a heap on the floor, bruised and embarrassed with an injured ego. He didn't know how much more battering his pride could take before it finally shattered like glass.

He found it hard to believe that his 'colleagues' were professionals. With the exception of Light and Matsuda, they looked like a bunch of old men to him.

He smiled.

'A few more years,' he thought, 'and you'll all be retired.'

Usually, Beyond Birthday didn't care in the slightest what anyone thought of him. Appearances and reputation meant nothing. They were worthless.

Despite his usual relaxed attitude, he couldn't help but feel that he was being constantly assessed by a pair of hazel eyes.

Light.

The teenager was blatantly watching him as if he were part of somekind of exhibit. If the boy wanted a show, Beyond decided that it was his duty to not disappoint.

* * *

Light Yagami had every right to be suspicious. Without warning, L had invited yet another person to work on the Kira case without discussing his decision with a single soul. He hadn't uttered a single word.

If L could trust this man it was likely that the teenager had nothing to be concerned about, however anyone that looked almost identical to Ryuzaki was bound to cause suspicion.

B.

If B was keeping his name a secret there had to be a legitimate reason behind his decision. Unlike L he wasn't a household name in Japan, or any other country for that matter, not that the Yagami knew of anyway. Why would he feel the need to conceal his identity other than the fact he was working on the Kira case? All of the taskforce members had simply been equiped with false identitys- why couldnt he do the same?

Perhaps Light was wrong- perhaps he was simply over reacting. Or was he?

Light watched B curiously with a pair of curious, narrowed eyes. Although the man was sitting in a room full of people, it almost seemed like he was isolated from them, as if he were watching them through a pane of glass. Just like Ryuzaki, he didn't look entirely social. He was sat at on the other side of L with his knees pulled to his chest, watching everyone at work as if he were observing an experiment, making mental notes of everyone's personalities and mannerisms.

He was studying them, and they were completely oblivious.

The raven opened the jar of jam, and much to Lights surprise, B took a large scoop with his hand and proceeded to eat it from his _fingers_.

'Definitely not sociable,' he thought, resisting the urge to wince, 'or else he wouldn't be doing _that_.'

"I thought you didn't like blackberry?" L frowned, craning his neck from the computer.

"I didn't say that."

"You implied it."

"Jealous?" Beyond asked, taking another scoop of jam with a smug smile tugging at his lips.

"Not in the slightest," the detective replied, taking several sugar cubes and dropping them into his tea one by one.

"So," Beyond said stifling a yawn, "what's this case you need assisting with?"

The room became silent, the unmistakable sound of clattering of keyboards ceased almost immediately, and several curious heads turned to observe the strange man with his hand buried deep into a jam jar. It was a bizarre sight indeed.

L resisted the urge to sigh.

Without a doubt, Beyond had certainly put him in a very awkward position. If he wasn't careful, suspicions would be raised and questions would be asked, questions that Beyond and L certainly weren't in the position to answer. It was not a case of wanting to be secretive, but a case of having to be, for the sake of the success of the investigation.

If Beyond's identity was revealed, there would certainly be an issue of trust, and L would not be surprised if most of the taskforce members left, if not all of them. After all, they were working hard for the sake of justice were they not?

There was also still a chance that Light Yagami was Kira. If word spread that Beyond was a criminal and Kira was amongst the taskforce, he'd be killed, and the chances of L solving the case any faster would quickly dwindle.

The very thought of the prospects that the future could hold was tiring. L only hoped that B was good at improvising. It wasn't as if he lacked the intelligence to lie and get away with it after all.

"What?" B asked, his expression remaining unfazed. "Something I said?"

"You mean, you don't know?" Aizawa exclaimed. Before he could continue, L effectively silenced him with a single finger.

"Had B not felt the need to play hide and seek this morning, I could have perhaps told him earlier and saved us all some time. Valuable time might I add."

"Perhaps if you'd chosen a smaller building it wouldn't have taken you so long to find me."

"I'm becoming bored of your sarcasm. Do you have any intentions of taking this seriously?"

"You're asking me? I thought you were supposed to be the genius."

"I'll take that as a 'no' then."

If he hadn't been surrounded by people, Light would have laughed. The pair bickered like children. The teenager had a feeling that he wouldn't get on well with B. The man was full of sarcasm. Everything about him was odd, even the way he spoke. The brunette could just about stand Ryuzaki and his weird mannerisms. B, was just pushing his limits.

"Ryuzaki, how did-" Matsuda was quickly interrupted.

"I will answer any questions you may have later. First I must-"

"So are you going to tell me or not?" An impatient Birthday asked, folding his arms in frustration. "I could be doing other things you know."

Beyond had a feeling that whatever lay in store for him, he was going to thoroughly enjoy it. It gave him great satisfaction knowing that he could re-write his own identity and the detective could do nothing to stop him. Perhaps he could be a celebrity with a dazzling acting career, or a normal guy from a wealthy family with great inheritance.

The possibilities were endless.

"The Kira Case," L stated simply.

"Kira?" The raven asked, racking his brains for an answer. "Where have I heard that name before..."

"You must have heard of Kira!" Mogi said in disbelief, "I thought everyone knew by now!"

"_Did you hear?"_

"_Yeah... the rapist in 83 wasn't it?"_

"_They say Kira did it..."_

_..._

"_Must be a bit feisty, hasn't even got laces in his shoes..."_

"_Maybe Kira will have him."_

"Ah," Beyond said, "I may have heard the name a few times before..."

"A few times?" Light asked.

"Twice I believe."

Was he lying?

The Yagami was no body language expert; however it looked as if the raven could possibly be telling the truth. There were no faults in his expression or posture, other than his noticeable slouch. There were two possibilities- either he was being truthful, or he was a skilled actor.

L turned to B, "Kira is a killer. So far, he has only targeted criminals; mainly those featured in the media and he insists that he is simply making judgement upon us. He needs a name and a face to kill his victims. I believe in the possibility that there is more than one Kira."

'Interesting.' Light thought. 'So you're not going to tell him that me and Misa are suspects?'

"Are you keeping secrets from us Ryuzaki?" Light asked with a frown.

"My my, how harsh Raito-kun; we both know that I am not capable of keeping secrets from you. You're far too intelligent to be easily fooled."

"You're lying."

"What makes you say that?"

"This entire situation, it's far too suspicious. How can you expect me to be fine when a complete stranger walks in and you introduce him as a member of the investigation? Had B already known about Kira, it would make sense for him to conceal his identity, yet he still introduced himself as a mere letter! There's just too many things that-"

"Light. I think it is best for you to refrain from making judgements so soon."

"He's right," Soichiro said, resting a firm hand on his sons shoulder, "perhaps you should take a break for a while. I'm sure Misa wants to see you," he smiled, watching the model sulk in her room on the large computer screen.

"I think I will. Its... it's been a long day," Light muttered, leaving the room with a discontented sigh.

"He'll be fine," L noted, "like me, Raito-kun doesn't like being told he is wrong."

Beyond shrugged, quickly regretting not giving the brunette a firm talking to. The brat needed to learn that he wasn't in the playground anymore.

"B, where are you going?" the detective demanded.

"To stretch my legs. Worried?"

...

"I'll be watching you. Understood?"

"Yes, _Sir_. I'll be on my _very best _behaviour."


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **Death Note belongs to Tsugami Ohba and Takeshi Obata, and _**Death Note**_ Another _**Note: The Los Angeles**_ BB _**Murder Cases**_belongs to Nisio Isin.

**/AN: **Shogi is a Japanese two player board game that is often compared with Chess. Thought I should let you know because it is mentioned in this chapter. Thank you! **/**

* * *

Light Yagami was pissed.

It had been a while since a single person had made his blood boil. Usually, he was a not a hot headed person. Occasionally someone would irritate or frustrate him, but never anger him to such an extent. The teenager barely knew B, yet the man had already caused him a significant amount of grief already. He was curious, but he knew that it was best to keep his distance, no matter how desperate he was to know more.

It should have been easy, but like a majority of things in Light's life, it wasn't. Standing in the doorway of Misa Amane's room, the brunette couldn't believe his luck.

Headquarters was enormous, and of all twenty three floors that the raven haired man could chose to dwell in it had to be this one.

Sitting on the foot of Misa's bed was a very satisfied looking Beyond Birthday, a large smirk gracing his features.

"Where's Misa?" Light asked calmly, narrowing his hazel eyes.

"Looking for you," B replied simply, grimacing at the sight of the luminous pink duvet he was currently crouching on. He took one long look at offending item and promptly hopped off of it, his bare feet scuffing the floor, which fortunately wasn't pink but a subtle shade of white.

"Do you have a habit of lurking in other peoples rooms or is there actually something you want B?" the teenager said with an unusual hint of sarcasm, something that he rarely used unless he felt the need to use it. It was specifically reserved for certain situations, much like the current one he found himself in.

Lights temper was beginning to flare. He didn't know the man at all, yet the enormous smirk on his face said it all. He didn't want to know him, ever. But the Yagami had a feeling that he wasn't going to have much of a choice.

"Why the frown? I thought we were getting along rather nicely too..."

"What do you want?"

"What makes you assume that I want anything? I might have merely stopped by for a chat, _friend_."

"And you just happened to be passing by this very room?"

"Of course. Do I look like the type who has a habit of going in little girls rooms?" Beyond laughed, an eerie grin perched on his lips. He hadn't laughed so hard in years. It was becoming far too much for his brain to handle. If only the boy knew the truth, then perhaps he'd think twice before making any snide comments.

The very thought itself caused him to laugh even harder.

"Quite the joker aren't you?"

"Oh Light. I have an awful feeling that you're not very fond of me..."

"It appears that you're much smarter than you look, B."

* * *

"Umm... Ryuzaki?"

"Yes Matsuda?"

"Is there a reason that you're spying on Light and B?"

"I believe the term you are looking for is 'watching' Matsuda, I do not spy on my colleagues. They are both fully aware that is room is bugged."

"Right..."

The buzz of a cell phone sounded and L reluctantly pulled the irritating device from his pocket and held it to his ear, watching the unfolding scene in Misa's room.

"Yes?"

_"Ryuzaki, I have sent you a file containing the names and photographs of the latest victims. None of them left any messages."_

"Thank you Watari. I have another favour to ask of you."

_"Of course, what is it?"_

"It's time."

_"You mean-"_

"Yes, it will commence in a few hours, please make the necessary arrangements."

_"I'm on it."_

"Thank you. I have one more thing to ask of you before you hang up."

_"What would you like to ask?"_

"Do... do you think I am doing the right thing?"

_"I will never question your motives Ryuzaki, you have my complete trust."_

* * *

"Who are you?" Light demanded folding his arms stubbornly, a stern expression gracing his flawless features.

"Nobody you should worry about. Trust me."

"How can I trust a man that refuses to tell me his name?"

"You trust L don't you?"

"That's different."

"Is it really?"

"Of course it is! Despite your similarities, he's-"

Before the brunette could finish, he was shoved roughly against a wall, an angry raven haired man grasping him tightly by the collar of his pristine shirt.

Lights head collided with the wall with a sickening thud, much harder than B had initially anticipated, however he was quite pleased with the initial outcome of the situation. He had been expecting Ryuzaki to interrupt, or another member of the taskforce to come bursting through the door to the teen's aid. Today, it seemed as if luck was on his side.

"That's the first and last time you compare me to _him_, understand?"

Light nodded reluctantly and attempted to remove the offending hand from his shirt. It was the first time since their meeting that he'd taken a close look at the man. It was almost like he'd morphed into a completely different person. Despite the similarities between B and L, there were noticeable differences between them.

There were no dark circles under B's eyes, and he had a pair of dark hazel eyes that narrowed menacingly. He looked reasonably younger than Ryuzaki, perhaps by a few years at the most. If Light hadn't been standing so close, he probably would never have noticed the scar escaping from the comfort of the raven's shirt.

It made him curious, and he was certain that it wasn't simply a birthmark either, it was clear that B had tried deliberately to conceal it with a large black shirt that hung from his thin frame. Light was no medical expert; however to him it looked like a burn, a nasty looking burn that would probably remain with B for the rest of his life.

Despite the overwhelming temptation to ask, the Yagami wasn't _that _curious. He wasn't cruel enough to ask such a sensitive question, he was already being held by the neck as it was.

"I have no intentions of telling you my name."

"Why?"

"I have... enemies."

"Oh really? Like who? Someone more dangerous than Kira?"

Releasing Light, B headed for the hall, lingering in the doorway for a moment before finally leaving, "Student loans," he said simply, without looking back, "they're scary people you know."

* * *

Beyond groaned, rubbing his temples with a sigh.

That stupid, enormous television screen hanging from the wall was beginning to give him a headache... and Misa of course, Misa Amane.

"Light!" the blonde squealed as the teenager appeared, clinging to his arm in desperation, "Where have you been? Misa has been looking everywhere for you!"

Before the model could greet Light with a loving kiss, he pried her from his arm and promptly continued walking, as if nothing had happened.

"Not now Misa, I have things to do."

"But-"

"Later. I'm busy."

"Light!"

B was on the verge of losing his temper. The woman was extremely irritating and had the IQ of a peanut. He just couldn't understand how Light could stuck with her of all people. Wouldn't a chick from the local Shogi club be more suited for him?

"But you never spend any time with Misa! Do you even love Misa at all?"

"Love you? I never said anything about wanting a relationship with you. All I remember is that since we met, you wouldn't leave me alone!"

"Liar! You're the one that kissed Misa first!"

"Shut up..." Birthday muttered, running a hand through his hair with an audible groan. The small headache that he had suspected earlier had turned out to be a blinding one. Each time he glanced at the figures and statistics on Ryuzaki's computer his eyes burned and his temples throbbed.

"Something wrong B?" L asked, watching the man bury his head in his hands.

"I can't work in these conditions."

"Conditions?"

"With company."

"You will soon become accustomed to it."

"I really don't think so."

"Have you always been this stubborn?"

"I may be many things Ryuzaki, but I am certainly not stubborn."

"During your stay here you will follow my rules. You will be working with myself and the-"

"LIGHT!" Misa yelled, much to everyone's irritation, "I thought you loved Misa!"

...

"I will ask Watari to leave a laptop in your room."

"Thank you."

Coincidently, Watari entered the room soon after carrying a large black box in his hands, and he handed it promptly to the detective. L nodded in understanding and pried open the lid, peering in with curiosity.

"Will this be big enough?" he asked.

"It is the size you asked for."

"And the key?"

"It shall remain in a safe place."

Beyond watched L reach into the box, and much to his horror, the detective pulled out a pair of handcuffs with a long chain. He couldn't ignore the mild feeling of despair that struck him, crushing his chest like a tonne of bricks when the sudden realisation hit him. It could only mean one thing.

Was he going back? So soon?

He fought the urge to panic, fought the urge to bolt. Perhaps there was a logical explanation for this. Perhaps, he was just jumping the gun.

L must have seen the horror in his eyes, because he looked at Beyond with a look that almost seemed like pity or sympathy.

"There is no need to look so worried," he said, "these are not your size."

"If they're not for me, then who?"

The detective turned, surveying the room with a pair of dark eyes.

"Raito-kun," he called, "May I have a word with you?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **Death Note belongs to Tsugami Ohba and Takeshi Obata, and _**Death Note**_ Another _**Note: The Los Angeles**_ BB _**Murder Cases**_belongs to Nisio Isin.

**/AN: **All the victim names in this chapter I found in the Death Note book I purchased a while ago. All of Beyond's victim names were taken from The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases novel. Sorry the update took a while, thanks again for reading and reviewing. **/**

* * *

A single night had passed since the initial handcuff incident, and Beyond Birthday still found himself laughing. Each time the very thought drifted through his mind there was no way he could suppress a laugh, the task itself was almost impossible.

Poor Light.

Revenge was sweet.

Working with Ryuzaki wasn't the most enlightening task in the world, however while watching someone else being submitted to twenty four hour surveillance and confinement, it suddenly became much more interesting. It was truly a miracle that B himself wasn't in the teenager's current predicament. When L had revealed the handcuffs in that box, Beyond had found himself praying to a God he had never ever believed in.

The situation itself proved one thing. Desperation could change anyone.

It was strange how B had suddenly become afraid of a life he had previously lived and known intimately, a life that hadn't bothered him much at all before. Now, the thought of returning to a dark cell seemed unbearable and most certainly unappealing.

He couldn't stand thinking about it.

After experiencing the brief and familiar taste of freedom, Birthday knew that there was no turning back. He simply wouldn't allow it, and he'd do anything to keep it.

On a brighter note, he finally had his own work space after much discussion with Ryuzaki, who had first intended on arranging for B to be granted a single laptop.

A laptop hadn't been nearly satisfying enough and after a heated debate, the raven had managed to earn himself an entire office complete with a fridge, full of jam much to his satisfaction.

The silence was beautiful.

Excluding the noise of the traffic outside, he could only hear the sound of his clattering keyboard and the quiet hum of the large American fridge. Months of living in isolation had taken its toll on B. The task of socialising that had once been relatively easy now appeared to be completely foreign to him. The thought itself gave him butterflies.

During his first week in prison he had longed for human contact, even a mere fraction of small conversation would have done nicely, would have satisfied his conscience enough to ensure that he wasn't entirely alone in the world.

Usually he was not at all a people's person, however during that short period of time he had found himself longing for company. It was odd how once again his intentions had quickly changed. There had once been a time in which he had been jealous of the other prisoners, who were able to socialise freely with the other cell mates in their block. Now, when faced with the prospect of working intimately with an entire team of people, he felt uncomfortable with the idea.

B longed for silence, basked in the rarity of it.

He longed to hear the sound of his own voice echo through an empty corridor.

In headquarters, on the eighteenth floor, he felt safe from civilisation. For the first time in his life Beyond Birthday felt comfortable with being alone.

Scrolling through the pages, B's hazel eyes grew tired of gazing at the bright screen of his laptop.

'Ale Funderrem- died of heart attack.'

'Arire Weekwood- died of a heart attack.'

'Knleck Stack- died of a heart attack.'

"No wonder I'm tired..." he thought, reading the next name. He didn't need the names; a picture would suffice easily. The small text was a nuisance, and it was beginning to give him another headache.

'Bess Sekllet-'

"Let me guess..." he muttered, "died of a heart attack!"

'Nikola Nasberg- died after spending several nights in hospital after a serious fall down a staircase.'

The entire process was incredibly repetitive, and the raven was quickly becoming frustrated. There was a small part of him deep down that was a little annoyed at Kira. Kira was far from inventive with the deaths of criminals anymore and quite honestly, Beyond was sure that he could do a better job himself.

Occasionally there would be an accident that occurred roughly every twenty victims or so, but apart from this minor detail there was nothing remotely intriguing about the way in which people died.

Perhaps, he was too proud of his own murdering techniques.

The killings of Believe Bridesmaid, Quarter Queen and Backyard Bottomslash had been carefully thought through and had involved much careful and witty planning. Maybe, that was why B was remotely offended by Kira. Of course in his eyes, he had never done anything wrong. All three of his victims had been destined to die on the exact days that they were killed.

Only Beyond knew that.

Thoughts aside, Beyond had absorbed all of the information available to him and had come to a startling conclusion.

He was bored, and somehow, he had to find a solution.

* * *

Ryuzaki sighed as he received yet another document from Watari, another list of victims.

Criminals were dying faster than ever before and it seemed that Kira had no intentions of taking a holiday. He was making up for lost time, rapidly. Despite the depressing mass of facts and figures he'd been observing and analysing critically all morning, L had only become more determined to eliminate the cause of his stress- Kira.

A small fragment of his mind wasn't entirely sure that he could handle the pressure of the case anymore. The effort, money and the time contributed were not at all problems in the slightest, but were they worth it?

The raven had a daunting feeling that if he did not find a breakthrough soon, he would lose hope entirely.

"Something wrong Ryuzaki?"

A familiar voice pulled L from the depth of his own thoughts, an immaculate looking brunette teenager sitting in the chair beside him with a handcuff clasped firmly around his wrist, a long metallic chain trailing across his lap.

"What makes you say that Raito-kun?" he replied, reaching for a cube of sugar to complete his steaming tea.

"You've been staring at that same monitor for almost ten minutes now."

"I was assessing the information."

"It's a _blank_ page Ryuzaki."

...

"I must be tired then."

"Insomniacs don't sleep; you must be more than tired, exhausted perhaps?"

"Your observation skills are impressive as always Raito-kun. I am hardly surprised that you came top in all of your classes."

Light narrowed his hazel eyes; his patience was beginning to wear incredibly thin.

"Very mature Ryuzaki. If taking your frustration out on me will correct your manners then please feel free to continue."

Light turned swiftly on his chair and impatiently grabbed a handful of papers, pretending to read them whilst he had his back to the detective. He was determined to stay focused. The sooner they caught Kira the sooner the teenager could return to his normal life, a life without cameras or handcuffs!

During the past few months of his life, Light Yagami had seriously considered forgetting his ambition of joining the police force like his father, becoming a lawyer would be much less hassle instead...

Watari humbly entered the room with his usual smart attire and a tray bustling with confectionery. Despite the hassle of working at headquarters everyone had to admit that they were always well fed and cared for, although food in L's presence usually consisted of almost every sugary treat from the nearest bakery.

Ryuzaki glanced at the large slab of chocolate cake being offered to him. It possessed everything he could have desired, icing power, cream, and an array of cherries and delicate curls of coconut gracing its surface.

Taking a fork in his left hand the raven prodded the offending item, and promptly put the fork back on the plate.

The room grew silent.

The inevitable had occurred. Sugar addict L Lawliet had just refused to eat _cake_.

"You're not going to eat that?" Matsuda asked, a puzzled expression gracing his features.

"No," L replied, "Perhaps later..."

"Are you sure? It's not like you to reject something sweet..."

"I am quite sure," L replied lacking any hint of enthusiasm in his voice, "In fact, I'm absolutely certain that I do not desire this cake." Ignoring the concerned glances heading in his direction, the raven glared effortlessly at his computer and ran a pale hand through his wild hair with an audible sigh.

It appeared that he was missing something, determination perhaps?

It was quite possible that for once in his life the great detective had no passion for solving any cases, not at that precise moment in time.

As Light watched his colleague gaze blankly at the computer he began to feel greatly irritated, and watching the man hesitate to take a sip of his powerfully sweet tea was indeed the final straw.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Light demanded, almost jumping from his seat, "You can't just give up! There are people all over the world relying on you!"

"I am very aware of my responsibilities Raito-kun. I am human after all. Am I not allowed to feel... depressed sometimes?"

"Really Ryuzaki? After everything we've done so far, you're just going to sit there and feel sorry for yourself that easily?"

"I will fight Kira to the death if that is what it takes to solve this case, I can assure you of that."

"Now that," Light said, returning calmly to his seat "Is what I wanted to hear."

Taking a biro in his left hand, the brunette went back to work, scanning his notes in a bid to distract himself from the tense atmosphere that lingered throughout the large room.

As the tip of the pen touched the paper, there was a loud buzz, followed by a sudden power cut.

Only when the lights went out did the teenager realise just how quickly time had passed. It seemed like barely a few hours ago he had managed to emerge from sleep. It was almost completely dark outside, the velvet sky cushioned with a blanket of dark clouds that almost concealed the pale moon.

"Oh for the love of-"

Before he could continue, Light was interrupted by the sudden screech of static.

While the other electrical appliances remained switched off, a single computer had sparked to life, the machine previously being used by a slouched, raven haired detective.

"Good evening L."


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: ** Death Note belongs to Tsugami Ohba and Takeshi Obata, and _**Death Note**_ Another _**Note: The Los Angeles**_ BB _**Murder Cases**_belongs to Nisio Isin.

**/ AN: **You're probably wondering why B hasn't killed L yet. Well, in the BB Murder Cases B didn't intend on killing L, he just wanted to make a case that he couldn't solve. At least that is the interpretation I got anyway. Thank you for reading and reviewing, if you find any fault in my grammar let me know! **/**

* * *

Before L's very eyes, a single letter appeared in the middle of the flickering screen, in a similar font to the one he used himself.

It was in fact a large, white B.

This certainly was one of the easier cases that the detective had ever had the pleasure to solve, one in which he had managed to complete in a matter of seconds. It certainly wasn't going to take an entire task force to trace the culprit, who was in fact only a few floors above them.

"B, is this your idea of a joke? It seems that we do not share the same sense of humour."

_"Would you believe me if I said no?"_

"No, absolutely not."

_"You sound so sure, so very confident-"_

"I'd appreciate it greatly if you left the power alone, it could interfere with the entire network."

"_Yes, I suppose you're right. These lousy computers are quite delicate; someone could easily hack in if you're not careful. Don't you have precautions for things like that?"_

"Yes, and it is apparent that you managed to avoid them all."

_"You know, that almost sounded like a compliment."_

"What do you want?" L asked bluntly, pulling his knees to his chest. "I am assuming that you are not looking for a conversation."

* * *

"Ah," Beyond said, sitting cross legged on the laminate flooring of his room, "that is where you're wrong."

Licking the jam from his fingers, he tossed the empty jar aside and reached for another full one, which happened to be resting in his lap.

"I have a request," he said, taking a scoop of the sticky substance with his long, pale fingers, "I- urgh!"

...

"B?"

...

The raven glanced down at his jam smeared hand grimacing in disgust. It took all of his willpower to ignore the sour taste that still lingered in his mouth.

"Bloody seeds!" he exclaimed, throwing the open jar across the room in frustration.

"If you make a mess Watari won't be cleaning it."

"Yeah yeah..." Birthday muttered, holding his hand as far from his body as possible. "Just come here would you? I'd like a chat."

"Privately," he added, emphasising the last word.

"Very well," Ryuzaki replied with an irritable sigh.

* * *

As Lawliet strolled barefoot through the hallway, the lights flickered to life. Suddenly, the detective was no longer concealed in darkness. He paused, his grey eyes adjusting to the blinding artificial lights beaming down upon him like the strong rays of the sun.

As he paused, he could feel the other end of the chain give a small tug as Light continued walking, completely unaware that his colleague had ground to a halt.

It was odd how different Tokyo looked during the night. It reminded him strongly of New York, the crowded streets bathed in an array of bright lights and flashing neon signs, the tall sky scrapers illuminating the entire city, nothing at all like England.

Sometimes L found himself missing England, and most of all, Wammy's Orphanage.

He may have only spent a few years of his life there as a young child, that much was true, however he vowed that one day he would return, although it was hardly unlikely that it would be anytime soon. Perhaps then the detective could choose his successor... unless he already had a suitable candidate in mind...

"Ryuzaki?"

"I'm coming Raito-kun."

Passing through a large pair of double doors Ryuzaki could already see his destination at the far end of the hallway.

The very last room, number one hundred and two.

The door was wide open, revealing a dark room illuminated by a single laptop placed in the middle of the floor.

Sitting on the ledge of the large window was Beyond Birthday, gazing up at the bustling sky of stars. He could see Ryuzaki and Lights reflection in the glass. L was standing slouched in the doorway looking almost as if he were bored, the teenager looking as if he were hoping that the ground would open up and swallow him whole.

Beyond craned his neck, "For me?" he asked, gesturing to the jar in L's hand. "You shouldn't have."

The detective lingered hesitantly in the doorway before carefully tip toeing across the floor, Light following behind him.

"Something wrong?" B asked averting his gaze back to the window.

"Your floor is cold," the raven replied, frowning at the sight of his own bare feet.

"You'll get over it."

For a moment, the three males were accompanied by a nauseating silence.

L gingerly took a seat on the small bed next to Light and watched B gaze curiously at the dominating violet sky towering over Tokyo.

Anyone who had never met the man before would never have guessed that Beyond had taken a life. He truly did not resemble the typical killer stereotype in the slightest. He looked like a normal, young adult.

It was odd how they could both occupy the same room and pretend that nothing had happened, that the previous history between them had ceased to exist.

Before Beyond opened his mouth to speak, he scanned the room with a pair of dark hazel eyes until he had located what he had been searching for, a camera.

As he glared at the device it moved, almost a severe reminder that privacy wasn't granted in headquarters. The others were undoubtedly watching. Privacy was something that only good civilians were granted. During the entire Kira case it was already clear to Beyond that he wouldn't be granted a single ounce of it.

Everyone was a suspect now, other than himself of course. The raven had been safely behind prison bars when the killings had started, not that the others knew this of course, nor were they going to find out, not intentionally at least.

Conversations between B and L were going to be awkward and limited in headquarters, the entire building was strictly monitored twenty four hours a day, and even the bathrooms were no exception.

The world between the twenty three floors of concrete was a different realm altogether. There would be no way that Beyond would be allowed outside, ever. Not unless Ryuzaki could find a way to make a pair of handcuffs and a guard look completely unsuspicious.

He sighed.

Although he had parted with his freedom several years ago, the daunting thought of being free still had a significant effect on his conscience.

The life he lived was no longer his own.

There were so many questions drifting through his mind, so many of them that would forever remain unanswered, such as the case of the unique ability he possessed, the ability to see a person's name and lifespan by taking a single glance at their face.

There were only two things that he knew about his odd ability.

The first was that he couldn't see his own lifespan, and the second was that no one else possessed the same power, not that he knew of anyway. Staring longingly at his own reflection in the cold glass, Birthday knew that he would probably never know why.

Freedom was important; however he didn't desire it anymore.

He desired to know why he was different, in every sense of the word.

"What is it?" L asked, biting his thumb curiously in thought.

"Huh?" the raven replied, almost falling asleep.

"You wished to speak with me."

"Oh..." Beyond said, almost as if he had completely lost interest in attempting any form of a conversation.

"Well?" Light pressed impatiently.

B turned to L, running a hand through his dark hair.

"_There are a few things I don't understand," _B replied in English, the familiar words flowing smoothly from his mother tongue, _"like why you have the brat in handcuffs."_

The brunette in question glared daggers at the back of Beyond's head, mentally cursing the man to infinity and beyond.

"_You know," _Light interrupted in a thick Japanese accent, _"my English is quite good."_

"_How convenient," _Beyond said effortlessly, averting his gaze to Ryuzaki. _"Now, answer my question."_

"_Yagami-kun is in fact a suspect, although I am quite surprised you hadn't noticed already."_

"_A suspect that __helps__ with a case?"_

"_Yes. I am ninety nine per cent certain that Raito-kun has possessed Kira's ability at some point during the past few months." _

'I won't believe it,' B thought, 'ever.'

The very thought of Light Yagami possibly being Kira made his toes curl.

Could a flawless person such as Light be capable of getting his hands dirty? It was unlikely, but certainly possible.

He didn't want to compare himself to the brunette, ever.

As if they didn't dislike each other already, there was now a possibility that they could... that they could... actually have something in common.

"_When Raito-kun was placed in confinement, the killings ceased for a short period of time-"_

"_Wait. What did you say?"_

"_Raito-kun was placed in confinement."_

"_No, before that... about him possessing an-"_

"_Ability," _they both finished in sync.

Ryuzaki sighed, _"As you already know Kira does not need to be present at the scene of the crime in order to target a victim. You also know that Kira only needs a name and a face to take a person's life. I refuse to believe that anyone that can do this does not possess an ability of some form."_

A name... a face... why hadn't it occurred to Beyond sooner?

The tape, that's where he'd heard it before.

Leaving his comfortable seat by the window, Beyond Birthday hastily scrambled to his laptop, completely oblivious to the curious stares heading in his direction.

Biting his lip in concentration, he scanned each and every folder until he located the very file he had been looking for.

Peering over his shoulder, Ryuzaki raised a brow in question.

"_A video?"_

"_Shh!" _Beyond hushed, listening carefully to the muffled audio.

"I don't think you have the eyes, but I won't kill you. Don't worry."

...

"B?" Light called, "Are you ok? You're looking rather pale..."


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: ** Death Note belongs to Tsugami Ohba and Takeshi Obata, and _**Death Note**_ Another _**Note: The Los Angeles**_ BB _**Murder Cases**_belongs to Nisio Isin.

**/AN: **Sorry for the late post, my internet wasn't working for a while. This chapter features A, who is only briefly mentioned in the murder case. As far as I know the book didn't give a detailed description of him so I made one up!** /**

* * *

A night had passed since anyone had last heard from Beyond.

The remainder of the night in question had been much quieter than usual, uncomfortably silent in fact. The next morning, was quiet still.

The tense atmosphere dousing headquarters had now reached its peak, surrounding the detectives like a thick blanket of fog. The air was heavy, the sun had reached its highest peak, and not even the expensive hi-tech air conditioning could control the heat flooding through Tokyo.

The news claimed that it was in fact the hottest day of the year so far, although none of the task force members particularly cared. It had become apparent to them that the significant soar in temperature didn't bother Kira either, as the killings had remained as consistent and timely as ever.

The main office had become littered with undesired jackets, ties, shoes, any item of clothing that could be shed to minimise the heat. The keyboards continued to clatter, the printer continued to hum, and the buzz of electronics throughout the building continued to be heard.

No one complained, accept for Misa Amane of course.

Fortunately for Aizawa, who had recently become extremely irritated by teen's recent behaviour, the blonde was in fact attending a photo shoot, accompanied by her 'manager' Matsuda.

Aizawa thought that it was unfair. It was unfair that the only day Misa was absent from the building was the day which he had little desire to work. The entire team had been working hard for weeks, even the computers were beginning to lag from the strain.

Ryuzaki just couldn't understand.

One moment, Beyond had requested his company at the drop of a hat, the next, he had dismissed L promptly without giving so much as a word of explanation... not that Light had minded of course. The first opportunity that the brunette had been given to leave, he'd taken it instantly without a hint of hesitation.

Neither of them had seen it coming.

B's blank expression had revealed nothing about what was going on his head, as always. His posture and his behaviour had been flawless, not a single fault apart from the slight, usual slouch.

Ryuzaki was hardly a body language expert, however usually when a person was troubled or deep in thought; they tended to reveal a particular habit. It was almost like a poker face. For example, when some people were lying, they tended to twitch, or change the manner in which they spoke, rolling their r's or emphasising letters while conversing with others. It was one of the first things that detectives learned during training; however B had shown no behaviour of the sort.

It was almost as if he were schizophrenic.

It could be argued that the previous night, Birthday had been unusually quiet. Despite the intimidating personality that the man possessed, it was in fact normal behaviour for him to become submissive during the evenings.

L Lawliet hadn't known the raven for long, however he'd quickly picked up on particular habits. Unlike L, B became tired easily and spent large periods of time sleeping. His behaviour didn't stray far from that of a 'normal' person.

Ryuzaki could only conclude one thing.

Beyond needed to think, and the thinking process didn't involve the company of other human beings. If something was troubling the young man, there was no sense in forcing him to work; a distracted colleague was the last thing that he needed right now.

It wasted valuable time.

L only hoped that eventually Beyond would prove useful in the investigation... a killer or not it was undeniable that the man in question was smart, and L wouldn't allow such an intelligence to erode in a dark prison cell.

It would be an utter crime.

Crouched on his usual white spindly chair, L frowned. He knew for certain that if B knew of his confusion, he'd mock him certainly. All of the fuss he had caused, intentional or not... he was probably enjoying it.

"So what do you think Ryuzaki?"

Unfortunately for the detective in question, he'd chosen to analyse the current situation just as Light had begun talking to him.

Taking a sip of tea, he hoped sincerely that the brunette was in a relatively good mood.

"I think..." the raven said, furrowing a brow deep in thought, "I think that this tea could do with slightly more sugar."

* * *

Sprawled limply across a narrow bed on the eleventh floor, was Beyond Birthday, his dark hair tousled recklessly and both feet hanging off of the edge of the bed.

The sheets were a dull shade of cream and the mattress was lumpy, but it would do. His spine had grown used to being subjected to similar torture over a small period of time, whether it be the merciless prison beds or pointless impersonations.

Unfortunately B's hunched impersonations of L had left permanent damage to his posture. Unlike before, his back wasn't straight anymore; instead, it resembled a ruler with an unsightly bend at the top, irritating and useless.

He couldn't hide in headquarters, that much was true, however Beyond was always willing to try. Somehow, he felt a significant measure of satisfaction knowing that he could switch floors so easily.

No room was the same, and it made exploring just that little bit more interesting, like a child playing hide and seek in a large mansion, but B had accepted that he couldn't hide in any cupboards or wardrobes.

Admittedly it was hot, unreasonably hot.

The raven had opted for a long sleeved shirt as usual, however this particular one had a lower collar, revealing slightly more scarring than desired.

Glancing down at the mark in question with a languorous glance, Beyond had to admit that nowadays, his pale skinny chest looked slightly more interesting with an unsightly mark. It almost looked like a brand, etched into his skin like a punishment.

In fact, it was almost like a punishment. It was a permanent reminder of stupidity. For the rest of his life he would have to live with extensive, self inflicted scarring.

B smiled.

He could live with that. He'd lived through a lot of things during his life so far... surely one more thing wouldn't hurt?

So why had he dismissed L and Light the previous night?

He simply did not know. Perhaps later, he could think of a plausible explanation to please the detective, who was currently using the weather as an excuse to devour unhealthy volumes of ice cream. Right now, he had more important things to occupy his mind. In fact, he had almost forgotten, and probably would have done if it hadn't been for the calendar lurking on his bedside table.

Today, was the anniversary of A's death.

All those years ago, the small child had taken the ultimate adult decision to cut his own life short. How he'd done it, B had never been told, his imagination left to conjure up an alternate ending to the tragic story.

The entire affair had been painfully traumatising, especially for Beyond Birthday who had been fairly young at the time. How old had he been exactly? He did not know. The few years that the raven had spent at Wammy's Orphanage were almost completely absent from his memory.

He remembered places, faces, but he could only recall several memories, many of which were not thrilling in the slightest. The earliest memory he had, was being guided to his room by Roger.

* * *

_Much to his protest, Beyond found himself being led down a long winding hallway, an unfamiliar white haired gentleman guiding him, a hand clasped tightly to his shoulder. The gesture of course was merely intended as a sign of reassurance, to show the child that there was nothing to be afraid of here._

_It didn't reassure him in the slightest, and actually, he found himself becoming increasingly aware of the nerves swelling up inside of him as he took each hesitant step._

_He'd been told that this was Wammy's Orphanage._

_A small pair of eyes scanned the hall curiously. He did not see any children, or any adults either. Were they sleeping? Studying? He was afraid to ask._

_They approached a narrow doorway lit by a bright, beaming light. _

_It was significantly dark outside, the large looming walls held the ominous, black dancing shadows upon them like a projector. Several painting lined the walls, neatly arranged in an orderly formation, the thick frames immaculately polished and cared for, much like everything that Birthday has seen so far._

_Everything was neat and colourless, like a faded canvas._

_The walls were pure white, the wooden floor was coated with a glossy shine, and everything appeared to be unbearably minimal._

_Did children really live here? Beyond couldn't see any toys, nor had he caught a glimpse of any paintings or drawings. There weren't even any ornaments or vases occupying the shelves. Instead, there were books of all colours and sizes, arranged pristinely in alphabetical order._

_This was no ordinary orphanage, as he would soon discover. Children didn't live in places like this, or at least normal ones didn't anyway._

_The raven glanced behind him and stared longingly at the distant door, the door that separated him from the outside world. It was too far from reach._

"_There is no need to look so nervous," Roger smiled at the pale faced child, "I promise that we will look after you, and I promise that you will like it here."_

_Little did Beyond know, the man's words were far from a prophecy. The door swung open, and instead of finding himself the target of a room full of curious, staring eyes, he was in fact greeted by an empty room occupied by a single child._

"_A, this is B. I'm sure that you will be kind to him," Roger said with a tired smile._

_Beyond's hazel eyes lowered to the floor. He'd never experienced problems with fitting in before; the children from his school had always complimented his boyish features and impressive intelligence, but this was certainly different._

_It was not a matter of choosing to be nice, but a case of having to be._

_At that precise moment, B spotted a timid looking blond who was watching him closely from the far corner of the lounge. Soon after his arrival, B and A became good friends. Little did B know, A wouldn't be a part of his life for much longer. Their friendship would soon be cut short._

* * *

'I promise that you will like it here.'

Beyond could have laughed.

He should have seen that one coming.

He had learned firsthand that children at Wammy's became outcasts. Education was more valued than love and affection. They weren't social at all. He'd seen it with his own eyes; the children there were not suitable for loving families.

No one knew exactly why A decided to kill himself, but there were certainly a few theories.

Some said that the prospect of living his life as an orphan had become too much for him, while others said that he'd probably suffered from an unidentified physiological issue. Beyond had a fairly accurate theory himself, in fact, he was certain of it.

The stress of possibly becoming a successor of L had become far too much for A, and ultimately he had decided that the hassle was simply not worth it.

B and A were the first residents and successors to stay at the Orphanage.

When A died, B had known instantly that he would be in the firing line. Back then, he had absolutely no desire to become a detective. He hated Wammy's, he hated its purpose, and so at the young and naive age of fifteen Beyond Birthday was reported missing.

He ran away, leaving nothing but a single photograph.

The rest was history. Now here he lay, in a property owned by the great detective L himself.

He couldn't bring A back.

He couldn't make a case that L couldn't solve.

He couldn't reclaim the years he'd wasted rotting in a dark, badly lit prison cell, but he could certainly do something.

He couldn't prevent Ryuzaki from solving a case; however he could always try his best to beat the man to it, a brilliant idea.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: ** Death Note belongs to Tsugami Ohba and Takeshi Obata, and _**Death Note**_ Another _**Note: The Los Angeles**_ BB _**Murder Cases**_belongs to Nisio Isin.

**/AN:** Once again I must apologise for the late update, it's been a busy week for me. The good news is that I'm on holiday now, which means I have much more time to dedicate to this story. Thank you for reading and reviewing so far. I think that this is my favourite chapter so far...** /**

* * *

"I thought that you said we were short on time?" Light asked, grimacing at the sight of the hideous orange couch that he currently occupied with a slouched, pale detective, who as usual was sitting on the balls of his feet, knees pulled tightly to his chest like an insecure child.

"We are indeed Raito-kun."

"Does that mean I can-"

"No."

"Can I at least have a laptop?"

"Out of the question," L replied, reaching for his tea, "I believe that you promised Misa a date if she left you alone for seventy two hours."

Running a hand through his brown hair with an audible sigh, Light shifted slightly in his seat, gazing longingly at the closed door preventing his escape. During the past few minutes he'd thought more than once about making a break for it, however it certainly wouldn't be an easy task dragging Ryuzaki along behind him. The man was certainly heavier than he looked, despite his skinny appearance.

It was almost like waiting to be interrogated. The brunette wasn't sure what he found more daunting, the thought of being a Kira suspect or being forced on a date with the one and only Misa Amane.

He'd only mentioned the idea briefly to get some peace and quiet, and that had been more than enough to get the model fidgeting with excitement for three days. Three whole days, which in Lights opinion had gone far too quickly. Now he was back to being pestered again...

Despite her irritating whining and clinginess, Misa was tolerable _somehow_. He'd met more irritating girls at university, and it wasn't as if he saw her very often anymore, not since being handcuffed to L. In a way, he was relieved that he'd managed to pry her from his side even for a short while; after all, the Yagami wasn't an entirely affectionate person. He liked his space, which wasnt at all practical given his current circumstance.

Each room was swarming with cameras. Whoever was taking watch right now was probably observing Light from several different angles, and if that was not off putting enough he had a detective chained to his arm for twenty four hour surveillance.

Privacy no longer existed, and the teenager found himself missing it greatly, like a part of him that had been severed ruthlessly.

Watching L from the corner of his eye, it was quite clear to the teenager that the man didn't appear fazed in the slightest. The raven was attempting to occupy himself by building a tower of sugar cubes, biting his lip in concentration as if it were the most important item on his agenda. Perhaps, Light thought to himself with a supressed shiver, the detective was slightly _too_ comfortable with the handcuff arrangements.

Taking another cube from a small bowl, he paused, examining the sweet lump with a pair of curious grey eyes. After a brief second (much to Lights disgust), the detective proceeded to bite it in half, almost as if he were taking a bite out of a juicy apple. In a matter of minutes, L's tower of cubes began to decline rather quickly, and soon he began to take another handful from the half empty bowl, a bored expression dominating his features.

"Do you have any fillings Ryuzaki?"

"No."

"I find it difficult to believe that. Your diet consists of nothing but sugar."

...

"Are you nervous Raito-kun?" The detective asked, watching Light wring his hands unconsciously.

Light shifted in his seat and frowned.

"Shut up Ryuzaki..." He definitely wasn't in the mood to argue with L, although judging by their lack of decent conversation so far, it wouldn't be much longer until he completely lost his temper.

He'd never seen L angry before, and thinking about it, L was never one to possess much emotion at all, or at least he didn't display it clearly like most people. Ryuzaki always obeyed the first rule of being a detective, avoiding personal feelings when it came to solving cases. He also used this rule when he worked with the taskforce members, something which Light wasnt so sure was in the rulebook...

Occasionally he would release a small laugh or a discontented sigh, nothing more or nothing his sullen looking appearance, his eyes were always filled with curiosity; today however he was lacking his usual enthusiasm. Today, his spark was missing like an extinguished fire; his usual passion had completely dwindled to ash.

He looked _lost_.

"Is this your first date Yagami-kun?"

"Does it matter?"

"I was merely curious, and I'd say that you're nervous."

"And I'd say that you're delusional. Besides, you already know enough about me, how about you, is this your first date?"

"I am afraid that I cannot disclose such information to a suspect."

"Whatever." The brunette muttered in irritation, tapping his fingers idly on his the room for a clock, Light soon found that there wasn't one. How long had he been waiting now? An hour? However long it had been, it was long, far too long, although admittedly he was enjoying his brief break from the Kira investigation. It made a change to occupy a room without a bulky computer- he was beginning to take a dislike to the blasted machines.

Light Yagami was hardly technologically retarded; however it was almost as if the machines were taking an immediate dislike to him. The keys would stick, the screen would freeze, it would take several minutes or more to load a single document, and Ryuzaki's security precautions weren't helping either.

He wasn't impatient. Well, not really...

"It appears that my assumptions were incorrect." L said, removing his thumb from his mouth.

"Wrong?" Light replied, _'About me being Kira?' _he thought.

"I always assumed that you were a ladies' man Raito-kun." The raven replied, restraining a small smile.

"Ryuzaki?"

"Yes Raito-kun?"

"Could you do me a favour?" The teen asked with a small smile.

"What would that be Raito-kun?"

"Shut up."

Before L could utter a response to his rude colleague, he was interrupted by the sound of a loud telephone ringing. Reaching for the shrieking device, the detective held it reluctantly to his ear.

"Yes?"

"_Good morning Ryuzaki, and yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking!"_

"Is this important B?"

"_Well that depends. Do you value your hearing?"_

"Is this a joke?"

"_Answer the damn question!"_

"Yes I do, although this is hardly-"

"_Great! Now hang up and stick your fingers in your ears."_

"Excuse me?"

"_You might want to hurry; you only have ten seconds left."_

"Very funny B, you do have a bizarre sense of humour."

"_Just trust me, and don't tell Light."_

Placing the phone back on the small coffee table, L reluctantly did as he was told and promptly stuck a finger in each ear, much to Lights and his own utter confusion.

"Ryuzaki, what are you-"

"LIGHTTTTTTTTTTTT!" Misa screamed, throwing open the door with immense enthusiasm, "Did you miss me?"

"I-"

"Oh I knew you would!"

Before the brunette could brace himself the blonde threw her slender arms around his neck, giving him a tight hug. Light gingerly patted her on the back as she continued to squeeze the life out of him, and when the model finally pried herself from her boyfriend she smiled, taking a seat on the opposite couch with a warm smile.

Soon enough, the genuine smile gracing Misa's lips faded to a long frown.

"Did you have to come too?" She asked Ryuzaki, pouting. "This doesn't feel like a date at all."

"Pretend I'm not here." Came the muttered reply.

L retrieved a fork from the table and took a small mouthful of chocolate cake, the same one he'd been eyeing longingly during the past five minutes. It was absolutely true that the detective was partial to a slice of cake; in fact it was a rare sight to see him in a room without a slice nearby. He always insisted that sugar no longer affected him. According to Ryuzaki, his insomnia was not connected to his sugar based diet, and his lithe, skinny frame had absolutely nothing to do with his lack of nutrition.

He considered himself lucky to be so miraculously healthy, and had L been religious perhaps he could have held God responsible for his good fortune.

Lawliet could always remember having a sweet tooth, and as a child he'd been forced to eat 'proper' food. Fortunately those days were long behind him, and now he could indulge as much as he liked without gaining a single pound. Unlike his own dull appearance, Ryuzaki found that most confectionary was remarkably colourful compared to his sickly pale complexion. The brighter it was, the better it tasted, a motto that the detective would happily abide by for the rest of his life.

"By the way," the raven asked, "will you be eating that cake?"

Misa glanced to the plate beside her and shook her head with certainty.

"No thanks."

"I'm surprised that you manage to stay so skinny considering all the sugar that you eat," Light said, folding his arms, "you must have a fast metabolism or something."

"If you use your head you can eat sweets without gaining weight. That is my theory."

"And how many people did you base this theory on exactly?"

"Myself."

Taking one last mouthful of chocolate cake, L prodded the remaining morsel of sponge with a frown. When Light raised a brow in question the raven merely muttered, "Not sweet enough."

As the brunette watched his colleague toy with his food he finally decided that this was the final straw. From that moment on, Light decided that he would no longer hold himself responsible for his own actions.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Light asked, "Show some energy!"

"I'm a little depressed Raito-kun."

"Depressed?"

"Yes, quite depressed. For a long time I was convinced that you were Kira. No- you were definitely Kira at some point. There's no mistaking that you and Amane once possessed Kira's powers, whether you were conscious of it or not."

"And the handcuffs?"

"I still suspect you, although it is clear that someone else currently possesses Kira's power."

"Kira's power passes from person to person, is that what you're saying?"

Ryuzaki nodded slowly and held the rim of the teacup to his lips briefly before taking a small sip of the steaming liquid.

He frowned.

It was cold.

Staring into the cold, swirling liquid with a pair of cloudy grey eyes, the raven asked himself, _'Why do I bother?' _

He couldn't help but feel lost. He couldn't perform miracles. The Kira case was quickly spiralling out of reach, and for once Lawliet wondered if perhaps he had finally found a case that he couldn't solve.

"If your theory is correct, catching Kira is going to be difficult," Light added, perching on the edge of his seat, "but that's no excuse for you to wallow in your own misery. If you don't show some enthusiasm soon I'll have to beat some sense into you."

"That is very generous of you Raito-kun, although I will have to politely decline your offer."

"Ryuzaki..."

"So many times I thought that I was going to die Raito-kun. Perusing this case will only put us in danger, don't you agree?"

Light Yagami stood and turned swiftly to the detective, a stern expression gracing his flawless features. His hazel eyes flared angrily.

"Ryuzaki..."

When the pale detective turned, he was greeted with a sharp punch to the cheek.

As Misa watched helplessly, the scene escalated quickly. No sooner had the brunettes fist collided with L's bony cheek; the raven was being hurtled across the room, taking Light with him. The chain gave a tug at the teenager's wrist, and Light found himself diving recklessly over the glass coffee table.

SMACK.

"Ouch." Ryuzaki muttered effortlessly as his head collided with the white wall, an angry looking mark began to form on his pale cheek.

"Just because you were wrong, you're just going to give up, after everything that we've done to get this far?"

"I'm merely considering it."

"For a world famous detective you're a hell of a lot dumber that I originally thought!"

The teen grabbed the collar of L's white shirt without an ounce of hesitation. He'd never hit anyone before, and a strange emotion began to reside within him.

Regret?

No.

It felt... good.

"Unless we chase him there's no way he'll stop! How can you sit there and feel sorry for yourself while innocent people are being victimised?"

"I understand what you're saying Raito-kun, however-"

SMACK.

"However I will have you know that I am not as weak as I look."

It was the most unpleasant experience that the Yagami had ever encountered. Of all the things that could have occurred in the situation, he had never expected L to kick him in the face, with his _bare_ foot. After falling head first into a chair the brunette was on the verge of laughter. For a man as skinny as a rake, the raven could sure fight.

"Dammit Ryuzaki!" Light growled, "It's as if you won't be satisfied unless I'm Kira!"

"Yes," L said, peeling himself from the floor, "I think... I think that I wanted you to be Kira."

SMACK.

Lawliet was no doctor; however he was quite certain that Light had caused significant damage to his delicate nose. It was certainly going to bruise in the morning...

"For the son of a police officer your behaviour is rather appalling Raito-kun. Perhaps I should do your father the favour of beating some manners into you."

* * *

Beyond Birthday watched in delight as Light received another kick to the face.

At first, he'd been rather unhappy at being left in the main office to observe the date, however after a quick turn of events he soon found himself becoming absorbed in the unfolding scene, as if he were watching an exciting television drama. It took a significant amount of willpower to pry his curious eyes from the enormous screen.

"I'll call the room and stop them." Matsuda frowned, reaching for the phone.

"Matsuda, let them be." Soichiro muttered, frowning as his son sent Ryuzaki hurtling head first into the sofa.

"No, I think I'll-"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Beyond cried, diving out of his seat and snatching the phone from Matsuda. "You almost interrupted!"

"That was the plan..." Matsuda said hesitantly, watching B clutch the phone possessively.

"I'm confiscating this," Beyond muttered, returning to his seat, "back to work. Let me deal with this..."

* * *

As L grabbed Light tightly by the collar, the phone began to ring. The detective glanced at the shrieking device, and averted his gaze back to the teenager, who was also holding him by the collar of his shirt.

"Ignore it," the brunette snapped, glaring at the device, "it's probably that annoying bastard B."

"Gladly," L replied, punching him square in the jaw.

For a few seconds the ringing continued, and once the irritating sound has ceased it was replaced with a standard answer phone.

BEEP- _"That 'bastard' as you so delicately put it, can hear you Yagami-kun. I will let it slide on this particular occasion; it must be awfully frustrating for a hormonal teenager such as yourself to be deprived of privacy with your girlfriend..."_

Misa could feel the warmth gather in her cheeks, flushing in embarassment. Peeking from her spot behind the couch an irritated Light looked back at her, a faint, almost undetectable blush tinting his cheeks.

"B, this is hardly the time for-"

_"Ryuzaki... I'm ashamed of you. I thought that it was against your morals to hit girls."_

"You know Ryuzaki," Light muttered, "You look a lot like Beyond when you smile like that."

SMACK.

"My nose is bleeding Raito-kun."


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: ** Death Note belongs to Tsugami Ohba and Takeshi Obata, and _**Death Note**_ Another _**Note: The Los Angeles**_ BB _**Murder Cases**_belongs to Nisio Isin.

**Note: **Asahi Shimbun is a newspaper, which is briefly mentioned in this chapter.

**/AN: **There has been little progress in this story as far as plot in concerned; I aim to correct that in the next few chapters. Thank you for your reviews, they have been very helpful!** /**

* * *

"Something funny B?" an irritated Light Yagami asked, glaring at the raven through a pair of narrow, half lidded eyes.

"Nothing," Beyond replied with a small smile, "Nothing at all."

The brunette averted his attention back to the computer, resuming the lengthy task of checking the background of each individual victim that had died during the past month. It was undoubtedly a lengthy task, and it required a significant measure of patience.

It had become increasingly apparent to a majority of the taskforce that Light was quickly becoming bored of the same, dismal sight of the office. Being handcuffed to Ryuzaki for twenty four hours a day meant that the teen had no chance of setting foot outside, unless it was the open rooftop of course.

How long had it been exactly since the Yagami had been able to freely wonder amongst the rest of society?

After fifty three days of solid confinement Light had been dragged from one location to another. A few days after his arrival at headquarters, L had announced his twenty four hour surveillance plan on the Yagami and until Lights innocence could be completely proven it seemed he had no choice but to grow accustomed to his new, temporary 'home'.

Home.

The teenager had never spent much time away from home, nor from his family for any long period and he was really beginning to miss the simplest things he could recall.

He missed being woken by the sound of Sayu's persistent chattering.

He missed being able to follow his own routine, and most importantly he missed his room. The luxurious suites of headquarters could never compete with the teenager's bedroom. They were neat, orderly, clean, and contained everything that Light could require during his stay.

He Hated it.

The only thought that could motivate him and encourage him to abide his time was the thought of returning to a normal life. A life with the absence of cameras, murderers, victims and most importantly, handcuffs.

Light couldn't guarantee what the future held for him, although he was entirely certain of one thing. He certainly wasn't joining the police force.

A few weeks of working on the Kira case was all it had taken to dissuade him from trying to follow his father's career path. Anything had to be better than being a detective. There were lots of careers in Japan that offered a substantial wage; it was just a matter of finding the right one that suited his intelligence.

Averting his tired eyes from the screen, Light spotted a familiar raven headed figure glancing in his direction. B was merely a seat away, sitting comfortably on the left hand side of Ryuzaki, a pen in his hand and a lap bustling with photocopies, newspaper clippings and a book of lined paper full of statistics, doodles and theories.

The man had an extremely irritating habit.

Occasionally, when no one was watching he'd glance casually in the Yagami's direction, a smug smile upon his lips and a placid look of content present in his glowing, hazel eyes. It was a look that mocked him, and despite Lights irritation, he could do little to stop him.

* * *

Tapping a pen against the desk repeatedly, Beyond studied the brunettes face with a glorious sense of satisfaction. The blinding light beaming from the enormous television screen illuminated the teenager's face beautifully, fully exaggerating his fresh bruises and imperfections.

His complexion displayed an ominous black eye, a split lip and a faintly bruised cheek, although fortunately for Light his long fringe concealed his eye rather nicely.

Much to Beyond's disappointment not a single limb had been sprained or fractured, and each one of the Yagami's teeth had remained firmly embedded in his mouth. Despite the minor disappointment, it boosted the ravens self esteem watching the teen squirm under his gaze. The boy was beginning to grow restless like a pacing lion in a cage.

Unlike Light, Beyond was used to being confined for long periods of time. After spending so much time under permanent lock and key he'd found alternative solutions to conquer his boredom, which mainly included thinking, about anything and everything.

Part of B had been expecting his punishment, preparing for it almost; even as he'd prepared to douse himself in flames he had been all too aware of the possibility of survival.

"Look at me again and I will seriously consider loosing my temper with you," Light muttered, hammering the keyboard moodily.

"I was doing no such thing," B smiled, running a hand through his thick black hair.

The young Yagami's attention shifted again before returning once more the illuminated screen.

"Being a bit self-conscious don't you think?"

"So would you be if you had a face like this," the brunette spat, tracing a finger gently over his split lip.

"You don't know the meaning of the word," Beyond replied, tugging his long sleeves over the palms of his hands until only his long, slender fingers were visible. It was a habit that he'd developed during the long course of his recovery. The standard hospital gowns didn't include the luxury of sleeves, nor were they made to tailor anyone significantly taller than those of average height.

B could still remember the sight of his limbs swathed in bandages like a mummified corpse.

He could still remember the day that the dressings had been removed. The memory alone made him itch. The raven had never been a vain person during the extent of his life so far and for that he had always been grateful; however he had always felt the need to conceal the extent of his scars, with or without a particular pale faced detective present.

For a moment Light's gaze lingered just above the collar of B's shirt, and after taking a brief glance at the deep mark blemishing the man's skin, he promptly turned back to his computer and said nothing more on the subject.

It was odd to Beyond that Light was beginning to feel even remotely insecure about appearance, especially while he was being confined in the 'privacy' of headquarters.

He wondered if the teen had paid any attention to Ryuzaki, the poor man was bruised like a Satsuma.

It was his porcelain skin that made Light Yagami look so completely and utterly ruthless, and had B possessed a different personality perhaps he would have felt a pang of sympathy for poor L, who was currently supporting a swollen, bloodied nose that matched his bruised eyelid.

Ryuzaki had insisted half heartedly that his injuries didn't feel as bad as they looked.

Soichiro Yagami had already apologised repeatedly following the incident and had rightly said that if his son had been a few years younger, he would have severely disciplined him without hesitation.

Overall Light and L had both escaped with minor bruising, yet still Ryuzaki demanded that the pair remained handcuffed together.

"You hit him a little hard don't you think?" Birthday asked Light, gesturing to Ryuzaki's swollen nose.

"Stubborn as mules, both of you!" Aizawa said with an irritable sigh, "They didn't even apologise to each other!"

"Male pride?" Mogi suggested, pouring himself a steaming mug of coffee.

"Ah, that is where you are mistaken Mogi," B replied, "That would require both of them to be _men_."

Beyond's confident statement earned him a piercing stare from both of the young men in question, who averted their gazes to the floor with minor embarrassment.

"You know," B muttered, a small smile gracing his lips, "I could get used to working here."

After a pregnant pause B had almost expected Ryuzaki to reply with something along the lines of 'Don't make yourself too comfortable.' Instead the pale detective said nothing, almost as if B hadn't uttered a single word at all.

"_I could get used to this."_

When the words had previously passed Birthdays lips he'd let them pass without much thought. Now, thinking back to what had once appeared to be an innocent statement, he could see suddenly a whole new meaning behind them.

Ryuzaki probably hadn't given much thought as to what would happen once the Kira case finally gained closure, there was no guarantee that the taskforce or the police force would ever apprehend Kira at all. It was highly unlikely that anyone else possessed the same skills as L. He had the suitable finance, willpower, contacts, and a worldwide reputation to die for.

There wasn't a single person that could come significantly close to competing with him, although perhaps intellectually there was. Wammy's house was probably brewing with suitable candidates to rival or inherit the title of L, although none of them could compare with the great man himself.

B often wondered how different his life would have been had he chosen to reside at the orphanage following A's death.

Who knew? He certainly didn't. Perhaps he would have been the next in line to be the man's successor. Perhaps he would have gained a respectable career.

Whatever _could_ have possibly happened, it didn't matter. It was odd how events had eventually brought the pair together, intentional or not. If anyone had approached B several years ago and asked him to join forces with L, he would have certainly declined the offer with no hesitation at all. Now, Beyond Birthday was finally living up to his destined title, as B.

"B is for back-up..." he muttered, defacing a recent copy of the Asahi Shimbun with a thick black marker, biting his lip in concentration.

Ignoring a puzzled stare from Matsuda and Aizawa, the raven began to skim through a pile of dull articles that were currently resting in his lap, accompanied by three black and white photographs taken from the newspapers. Three more victims, all which were reasonably known in particular districts throughout Tokyo. The captions were missing from the pictures, not that it mattered to Beyond in the slightest.

As he glanced languidly at each image, he saw a tangle of letters and numbers hanging ominously above each of their heads. Admittedly it was a useful ability to have, and it didn't irritate him much at all, although sometimes he would lose his patience.

At times the name and dates of birth and death would linger nicely over a person's head, softly moving up and down like the repetitive, gentle ebbing of the tide. Other times it could move profoundly as if the information were the victim of a strong current or reckless blast of wind.

"Ryuzaki, I think that you should take a look at this," Light said, a graph of statistics occupying the computer screen.

"Raito-kun..." L replied, removing his thumb from his mouth, "Did you do all of this?"

"Matsuda helped too. We studied each heart attack victim that died during the past month and a majority of them were just minor criminals. I was looking for a possible link between the victims, and at first, I thought that I was looking too deep into this..."

The brunette brushed his fringe from his eyes and gestured to the graph with a long, slender finger, tracing the lines carefully.

"There were three suspicious deaths that occurred one week after the other; each one was reported on a Friday evening. At first I thought that it was a mere coincidence, but as it turns out all three of them held important positions in the Japanese business world."

The teenager paused for breath and Ryuzaki glanced into his hazel eyes looking significantly intrigued, motioning for his colleague to continue, "Please continue Raito-kun."

"The names of the deceased are; Roppei Tamiya, Kouji Aoi, and-"

"Takeyoshi Moriya," Beyond finished, gesturing to the black and white photograph he held between two of his fingers.

It was an image of a middle aged man with short, spiked black hair, a pair of thick framed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose and his broad shoulders were concealed by a pristine pinstriped blazer. Compared with Aoi and Tamiya, Moriya was by far the oldest and bravest of the three. A middle aged man with a head of short, gel ridden hair?

B restrained a small smile of amusement.

Judging by the look of things, the man had obviously intended to adopt the trends of the younger generation in a bid to look younger himself. B was no fashion expert, however even he found himself wincing at the photograph in embarrassment.

"Is there any particular reason that we are observing this photograph?" Ryuzaki asked, plucking a strawberry from the ever present tray of confectionary that almost remained permanently nestled between two computers on the office table.

Before treating himself to the succulent seedy fruit, he coated it with a thick layer of chocolate; the sticky substance began to drip, clinging to his pale fingers.

"You have some serious dietary issues," Birthday said, grimacing at the revolting thought of strawberries being abused in such a manor, "You can't even eat fruit without smothering it in chocolate."

"That is incorrect; I can eat watermelon without any additional substances. Please refrain from avoiding my question."

"I'm mourning over the loss of a perfectly good strawberry," B replied, his thoughts instantly drifting to the image of a large jar of jam.

"The photograph B?"

"I found it rather amusing... that's all."

"Anyway-" Light interrupted, barely restraining an audible sigh, "They all worked for large corporations, Sekimaru, Aoi and Yotsuba. Matsuda first suggested that those businesses were unlikely to be responsible, we assumed that they just happened to be minor criminals that happened to work in the business world."

"Tamiya, Aoi and Moriya had no police records," Matsuda added, peering over Ryuzaki's shoulder, "Which means that Kira might not just be targeting criminals anymore."

Light turned to Ryuzaki, "Once Matsuda checked for criminal records, I thought that maybe the three companies were being targeted by a rival company that could possibly have connections to Kira, however you can see from this graph here that Yotsuba's stock has been rising."

"Yagami-Kun," Ryuzaki said in disbelief, his eyes growing wide in amazement, "Excuse me for a moment while I take this in, I believe that it is best we plan our next course of action."

Lawliet began to think, planting another chocolate smothered strawberry in his mouth. Of all the things that Light could have revealed to him he certainly hadn't been expecting anything like _this_.

The pale detective was almost in a state of minor shock.

How could such a revelation come so suddenly into his possession after so long, after so many hours of struggling to find any relevant information?

For so long L had been genuinely convinced that Light Yagami was Kira. He was still suspicious... he'd never been wrong before; he certainly wasn't going to make a sudden exception because a few of his colleagues had discovered a possible lead.

His large gray eyes observed the graph. Ryuzaki knew that Yotsuba would have to be thoroughly investigated; there was absolutely no denying that.

Reaching into the depths of his jean pocket, the detective reluctantly retrieved his mobile phone.

"Watari?"

"_Yes L?"_

"I need you to do me a favour..."

* * *

_Five days later..._

As Beyond Birthday began to stir from sleep he released a satisfied audible sigh, arching his back like a contented feline. For a moment he laid there, his limbs bound together in a tangle of thick covers and a pair of bony feet hanging lazily over the bottom of the bed, cold and exposed.

The sheets were comfortingly warm, and his luxuriously plump duck feather pillow provided a comfortable resting place for his head. The powerful rays of the sun remained absent from the large bedroom, concealed by the thick black blind that hung over the wide window.

Beyond adored Sundays, it was absolutely by far his favourite and most immensely treasured day of the week. If offered him many hours of undisturbed slumber, a relatively Yagami free day and a routine that didn't involve a single trace of the daunting Kira case.

Craning his neck to the digital clock that rested on his bedside table, the raven was pleased to discover that he had in fact already slept through lunchtime. The bold crimson numbers informed him that it was currently '2:35'.

He shrugged and proceeded to roll over, pulling the covers over his head leaving only a few strands of black hair visible on the white stack of pillows. B decided that it simply wasn't worth the effort of dragging his lazy ass out of bed. He wasn't entirely sure that his tired legs could survive the trip to the bathroom anyway...

It wasn't long until Beyond found himself surrendering to sleep, his hazel eyes closing slowly but surely, and the-

RING.

The shrill ringing of the phone pierced the silence like the firing of a loaded gun. Birthday almost found himself falling out of bed, his heart pounding against his ribs vigorously as the loud sound reached his delicate ear drums.

At first, he had sincerely hoped that sooner or later the shrieking device would cease its irritant ringing, and that perhaps he could ignore its presence and return to the comfortable depths of sleep. Instead it continued to ring continuously, almost as if the inanimate device were challenging him to answer it.

Reluctantly Beyond peeled himself from the warm, soft covers and walked blindly over to the phone, bare footed, bare chested and sporting a head of fuzzy black hair. Reluctantly taking the device from its hook he held to his ear and rubbed his tired eyes.

"Hello?" he asked grumpily, running a hand through his tangled hair, a frown perched upon his lips.

"_Good afternoon B, I trust that you had a pleasant sleep?"_

"What do you want? I hope you have a valid excuse for disturbing me at this hour."

"_It's almost 2:40."_

"Exactly."

"_I would like you to report to the main office at approximately 3:00pm."_

"You must be joking."

...

"Hello?"

...

Placing the phone back on its hook, Beyond glared with an irritable sigh. How he loved Sundays.

* * *

At precisely 3:15pm a dishevelled looking Birthday appeared, stumbling through the office door of HQ. The task force greeted him with a nod of acknowledgement, and the miserable looking raven stumbled over to an unoccupied chair, far too tired to even attempt to pull his knees to his chest. He simply didn't trust himself to pull such a stunt on a chair with wheels, not while he was almost half asleep. The last thing anyone needed was to take Beyond to hospital for a head wound.

Usually when he arrived at the main office B would exchange glares with Light, and sometimes the pair exchanged sarcastic remarks.

Not today.

The brunette was probably feeling marvellous as he observed the raven's appearance. It almost looked as if the man had possibly gotten changed in the dark, half of his shirt remained tucked into his jeans and a small white ticket stuck out at the back of his collar.

The door opened a second time revealing Ryuzaki dressed in his usual attire, a long sleeved white shirt and a pair of long fading jeans, no sign of footwear present on both of his pale feet.

"I would like to introduce you all to two contacts of mine; both will be assisting us in the Yotsuba investigation."

Behind L stood two blondes, a male dressed in an exquisite suit and a female with a pair of dark sunglasses perched on the bridge of her nose.

"This is Wedy and-"

"Aiber?" Beyond asked, "Is that you?"


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: ** Death Note belongs to Tsugami Ohba and Takeshi Obata, and _**Death Note**_ Another _**Note: The Los Angeles**_ BB _**Murder Cases**_belongs to Nisio Isin. I own nothing but the plot.

**/AN: **PLOT DEVELOPMENT IS PRETTY MUCH ABSENT FROM THIS CHAPTER. To be honest, I don't think I should have bothered posting this chapter, it probably doesn't make a lot of sense and there isn't really any development. I thought after not updating for so long it would be better to post something rather than nothing.

Did any of that make sense? **/**

* * *

Beyond watched curiously as the two fascinating new arrivals both glanced casually in his direction before both removing their sunglasses. When the lenses disappeared, the empty spaces above each of the blonde's heads were conveniently replaced by two names, hardly traditional Japanese ones at that.

Wedy or 'Wendy White' in B's eyes didn't look thrilled in the slightest.

She reluctantly began to remove her thick fur coat and draped it over one arm with a daintily gloved hand; her coral coloured lips remained pursed together in a thin line, as if she were contemplating her current predicament.

Beside her stood 'Thierry Morrello', a tall golden haired gentleman who appeared to be biting his lip in concentration, studying Birthday curiously with a pair of narrowed blue eyes. For a moment he hesitated before uttering a response, searching through his hazy memory for a face he hadn't cast eye on in years, a being who as far as he knew he were no longer associated with.

Taking several steps closer, his pristine polished shoes scuffing the floor Aiber's eyes grew wide in both surprise and acknowledgement. Parting his lips in preparation for a response, Aiber decided to settle for a minor smirk, a small grin gracing his features.

"Well well," he said, supporting a thick American accent, "The last time I saw you, you were lying drunk in a fountain."

For a while the entire room became dominated by an awkward silence.

Beyond wasn't sure which emotion would be entirely appropriate, at that particular moment in time he could have easily laughed or cried.

When Aiber had walked through that door the raven had really hoped that the man wouldn't bring up _that_ incident, especially in Lights presence. He almost felt... embarrassed, significantly embarrassed.

L raised a brow in question, watching eagerly in amusement as B lowered his gaze moodily to the floor, avoiding direct eye contact with the taskforce members.

"I have mildly misjudged you, I assumed that perhaps you were not the drinking type," the detective said, barely restraining a small smile.

"That was a long time ago."

"Five or six years ago to be precise," Morrello added whilst feeling rather amused, "what a night that was..."

"I don't remember much of it..."

"I'm hardly surprised; the barman had to ask you to leave."

"That's not the point. I can't believe that you just left me there you bastard!"

"What can I say? I had a busy schedule that night; I had an important date at a casino."

"With the money you found in my wallet?" Beyond pointed a finger accusingly, rising from his chair to jab the man in the chest especially.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," the tall blond insisted casually, burying his hands deep in his pockets with a small smile.

A pair of frank blue eyes scanned Birthday curiously from his dishevelled mop of messy black hair to his pale bare feet. "You haven't changed. You're still the same sarcastic, skinny excuse for a man."

"I'm not that skinny..." Beyond muttered, folding his arms stubbornly.

An impatient looking Wedy released an audible sigh of irritation.

The taskforce remained silent, struggling to come to terms with the bizarre revelation.

"Wedy is a renowned thief in the criminal world, she specialises in breaking an entry without leaving a single trace behind her. Aiber is a professional con artist."

"I wish you would have told me sooner..." B muttered, oblivious to the glare he was currently receiving from Ryuzaki.

"I have requested their assistance in the Yotsuba case."

"We're working with criminals now?" Soichiro Yagami asked, his eyes growing wide in disbelief. His current expression said everything, and his posture revealed the growing sense of dissatisfaction that began to almost radiate through the entire office.

Folding his arms tightly Soichiro glanced at Ryuzaki, peering at the detective questioningly through a pair of tired, narrowing eyes in discontent. The Yagami liked to think that in rare occurrences such as this, he was able to speak for his colleagues and his son, not just himself.

L sighed and began to rake a hand through his tousled black hair, the long chain hanging from his skinny wrist rattling against the smooth floor like a bunch of keys. On the other end of the cuffs stood Light Yagami; his hair remained immaculate and pristine as always, framing his nicely healed face with not a single strand out of place.

Peering at Lights smartly dressed figure through a mop of dark hair, Beyond Birthday frowned, chewing his lip as if he were currently deep in thought. Perhaps, he decided, he was more tired than he initially thought. He could have sworn that the cocky teenager had already been seated in the office prior to Ryuzaki's arrival...

Then he remembered that there was something keeping the two of them together. They were inseparable, quite literally.

"I'm afraid that we no longer have a choice Yagami-san, we cannot afford to waste time. I will enforce whatever precautions are necessary in order to apprehend Kira."

"Doesn't... doesn't that go against your morals or something?" Mogi asked, almost inaudibly, "I mean... you're supposed to catch criminals, not form alliances with them."

"I wasn't aware that I had such policies Mogi-san. I merely assist the police; I do not follow the guidelines as an ordinary officer may do."

"Think of your reputation Ryuzaki!" Aizawa exclaimed, "If the police ever hear that you're using criminals in the investigation do you really think that they'd just turn a blind eye to it? Even if it's in aid of capturing Kira?"

"The police won't know Aizawa, unless of course you are perhaps suggesting that we have a possible traitor amongst us. I can assure you that you all have my complete trust, thus the reason I revealed myself to you all."

"All of us?" Aizawa replied, a frown dominating his feature.

"Every one of you. If anyone has an issue with that then I suggest they consider leaving. Understood?"

...

The detective was greeted by a daunting silence. Rubbing his temples in defeat he muttered, "Perhaps I will take that as a possible yes then."

L returned to his usual seat motioning for Light to follow him, placing a frail hand of the desk to steady himself whilst he climbed gingerly onto the spindly chair, pulling his knees to his chest miserably like a hormonal teenager.

Lawliet had never experience such frequent doses of irritation before, he'd always remained isolated from civilisation in the comfort of a single hotel room, alone. Rarely had the raven ever included anyone other than Watari in his investigations before, and he could only recall a single case prior to the ongoing hunt for Kira.

The Los Angeles Murder Case, and even then he had only briefly met Naomi Misora.

Their first encounter had occurred when the case had unofficially gained closure. Naomi had been walking across the platform, her heeled boots skimming the floor as another busy train left the station.

It had been an interesting experience to say the least. The woman had promptly taken one glance into Ryuzaki's hazy grey eyes and had proceeded to immediately form a posture of self defence in the middle of the platform, shielding herself from the man who looked almost identical to Beyond Birthday.

"I can't believe this..." Matsuda sighed, resting his head in his hands with a frown of discontent, "We've come this far already and now we're having trust issues?"

"Matsuda," Soichiro said, resting his hand on the man's shoulder, "We-"

"With all due respect Yagami-san, we all knew that this wasn't going to be easy. Even in the beginning we knew that there were going to be risks! Are you telling me that you guys are willing to risk your lives but you'll refuse to work with criminals? That's what I'd call stupid!"

"Look," Aizawa said, rising from his chair with a sigh, "I understand what you're saying Matsuda, however I'm going to have to disagree with you. I-"

"He has a point you know," Beyond said, preparing a steaming mug of milky tea from himself, oblivious to the piercing glare currently heading in his direction, "anyone would think that you're afraid of bending the rules Aizawa."

"I wasn't talking to you; mind your own damn business!"

"Aizawa!" Soichiro exclaimed, giving his younger colleague a stern frown of disapproval, "calm down for goodness sake!"

"Don't you have morals?" Aizawa asked Ryuzaki with a flare of passion in his eyes, watching the pale faced detective stare back unfazed and expressionless, "The handcuffs, the cameras, confinement, what would people think?"

"My reputation doesn't matter," L muttered, removing a chocolate from its foil wrapper and holding it between his long fingers, biting his lip as if he were deep in thought.

"Don't be stupid Ryuzaki," Light said irritably, "You're a world renowned detective, remember?"

"My reputation should be no concern to any of you. I will not be having this kind of discussion today, and I have a word of advice for all of you. You're all adults, and I expect you to behave like one."

The detective averted his gaze to the window, staring lifelessly at the busy city of Tokyo, the streets crammed full of cars, people and the loud buzz of traffic and meaningless conversation. His cloudy grey eyes revealed nothing but perhaps a slight flare of irritation. The man had a skill for concealing his true emotions and desires, and the only person in existence that could probably come close to reading between the lines was Watari.

"If you would excuse me I have some thinking to do," Aizawa said, disappearing into the long, winding corridor.

"I just don't see what his problem is," Matsuda sighed; Beyond nodded, raising a mug to his lips, "I mean, at least we're not working with serial killers, right?"

It was at precisely that moment which Beyond Birthday found himself in quite a predicament. Matsuda's bold statement had caught B alarmingly off guard, and the raven promptly dealt with the situation by choking on his tea.

"Are you okay?" Mogi asked, watching the man splutter, his chest rattling with each cough.

"I'm-fine," B insisted, ignoring an amused smirk from Aiber, "Just... a little hot... that's all."

"If this is a bad time perhaps tomorrow would be more convenient," Wedy said, glancing at her flamboyant wristwatch with an impatient sigh.

"Please take a seat Wedy," L replied, "I apologise, it was not my intention to waste time. Watari has prepared room thirty for you; I hope it is to your satisfaction."

The blonde smiled, her coral red lips curled with content and she settled into a black leather armchair, the rays of the sun escaping narrowly through the dark blinds, shadowing her heavily powdered features.

"Aiber," the detective continued languidly, "room one hundred and three should be suitable. If either of you have any problems don't hesitate to find myself or Watari."

"_Thank you,_" Aiber replied in English, burying his hands deep in his pockets, "_although I wasn't aware that I would be staying here. I didn't bring any-_"

"_Wait a minute,_" Beyond said, his hazel eyes glaring in Ryuzaki's direction, "_one hundred and three, isn't that next to my room?_"

"_Correct,_" the raven replied, "_and before you ask no you cannot have the entire floor to yourself._"

"_Why not?_" B protested adamantly. "E_veryone else does!_"

"Because I said so."

"Lighten up Rue," Aiber said with a smug smile, "worst things could happen."

"Already have..." Beyond muttered, reaching for a jar of strawberry jam.

"Wait," Light said, the cool chain tangled between his fingers, "What did you just call him?"

"Rue," the blond replied with a puzzled stare.

"Rue Ryuzaki?"

"Yes Raito-kun?" L said, his attention almost completely absorbed by the illuminated computer screen in front of him.

Light and Aiber glanced to each other in silent acknowledgement, and proceeded to avert their attention to the two similar looking raven headed figures, both were sat merely inches from each other on Lights left side.

Beyond raised a hand and proceeded to point an accusing finger at the detective, his long fingers coated in a mass of thick sticky jam.

"You mean... You're Rue Ryuzaki?" he asked, raising a brow questioningly.

"Well you can't both be," Light said, folding his arms in confusion, the long chain hanging limply from his wrist.

"You mean... he's Rue Ryuzaki too?" Aiber asked, glancing at the pale faced detective.

"I don't know what's left from right anymore..." Matsuda groaned, "All of this confusion is making my head hurt."

"You mean... they're not related?" the blond asked, scratching his head with a puzzled expression.

"Not as far as I am aware," L replied, restraining an amused smile at the very thought.

"Stop changing the subject!" B said, hugging an open jar to his chest with a skinny arm, "Just how long have you been using that name?"

"Two years perhaps," L replied coolly, "I assumed that you were finished with it."

"Well you assumed wrong my friend!" B said with a mouthful of jam.

"Has he always been this mad?" Light asked Aiber with a sly smile, his eyes glittering in a sense of mild amusement.

"I'm not mad!" Beyond insisted, "I am a victim of identity theft!"

"It's not very professional to tell lies B," L said, rolling his eyes, "We both know that the name Rue Ryuzaki doesn't belong to either of us-"

Before the detective could continue, he was interrupted by the crackle of his computer monitor sparking to life. When the static cleared the black screen had become blemished by a familiar, dignified looking letter W.

"_Ryuzaki, I have a message from Yotsuba addressed to Eraldo Coil."_

"Thank you Watari, I'd like to read this message as soon as possible."

"So you're reading peoples mail now?" Soichiro asked, running a hand through his hair tiredly.

"I am Eraldo Coil."


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: ** Death Note belongs to Tsugami Ohba and Takeshi Obata, and _Death Note_ Another _Note: The Los Angeles_ BB _Murder Cases_belongs to Nisio Isin. I own nothing but the plot.

**Warnings: **Beyond's foul mouth.

**/AN:** This took a while for a few reasons, one of them being that I changed the entire plot from the previous chapter onwards. Over the next few weeks I'm going to be editing the mistakes in the previous chapters. Thank you for reading and taking the time to leave reviews. **/**

* * *

Knock knock…

Knock knock…

Beyond buried his face into the duvet with an irritated groan, a muffled sigh escaping his dry lips.

The cold pillow pressed against his cheek reminded him that he hadn't been sleeping for long, and the sheets binding his limps awkwardly together were merely lukewarm.

The plump mattress cradling his abused spine, the _soft_ luxurious sheets wrapped around his body like a protective cocoon…

Whoever was knocking could quite literally go to hell.

The raven didn't care if it was an emergency.

He didn't care if the world was going to end because he was _comfortable_.

Knock knock…

"Fuck off," he groaned, rubbing his eyes weakly.

"Tired?" Aiber asked with a hint of mild enthusiasm in his voice, a soft smile gracing his lips.

"FUCK!" Beyond cried loudly, clutching a hand to his chest, his heart pounding vigorously against his ribs, "I didn't hear you come in…"

"Obviously."

"You bastard," the raven muttered, giving the cocky blond a stern glare of disapproval. Aiber watched from the doorway with a satisfied smile across his lips, his arms folded proudly with pride.

"You have ten seconds to get out before I smash your face in," Birthday said bluntly, shifting beneath the covers as the sheets began to loosen their grip on his innocent limbs, "You'll be needing plastic surgery when I'm done with you."

"I brought a bottle with me."

…

"Make yourself comfortable."

Aiber knew Beyond too well. Years had passed and still the pale male had a tremendous soft spot for alcohol. He was an amusing drunk to say the least. B probably wasn't aware of it himself, wasn't aware of the fact that booze transformed him into a big softie, the equivalent of a young and emotional teenage girl.

Emerging slightly from the covers he motioned for the blond to join him, the sheets pooling clumsily at his waist lazily.

Aiber took a seat beside him, leaning against the cold headboard as Beyond snatched the bottle clumsily from his grasp.

"Have you always possessed the manners of an ape?" the American asked humorously with a smile.

"I learned from the best," came the muttered reply as the man took a large mouthful of wine.

The strong concoction began to sting his sinuses, and if B hadn't been awake previously he certainly was now. The odour was almost addictive, painfully addictive, _and irresistible_ in fact.

Beyond was surprisingly comfortable with the entire situation.

Admittedly it had been several long years since their previous encounter. Change was inevitable between them, an awkward boundary evident enough to be acknowledged by both of them.

Beyond still respected Morrello. He respected him because he had morals (even if they were minor ones), hardly expected of a con artist. Birthday had learned that shortly after his first year of living in America. Aiber was the man who had accepted him when others hadn't, the one who had treated him with manners.

The American in question frowned.

"Drinking straight from the bottle, sitting in your boxers in front of company… I'd say that you're common."

The guilty raven took one glance at the large bottle grasped tightly in his bony right hand and shrugged, taking another hasty swig.

"I'm not common."

"You're right I suppose. Actually, I'd say that you've morphed into a bit of a snob since the last time I saw you."

"Oh really?"

"Really, and skinny too," Aiber said, eyeing the ravens lithe figure with disapproval.

"At least I'm not fat like you…"

It was true that B was skinny although he was hardly anorexic. His loose fitting shirt and jeans always hung from his frame which only managed to succeed in making him look thinner.

Aiber began to tug his golden hair in thought, taking a strand and curling it around his finger. The man sat beside him with a thin figure, pale skin and tousled black hair almost certainly stood out in Japan, almost exactly like Ryuzaki in fact.

Little did Aiber know, it was Beyond's prison confinement which had managed to prevent him from gaining a tanned complexion. The only sunlight that had filtered through his cell had come from a small, square window which had barely been the size of his head.

"You're insane," the blond muttered running a calloused hand through his hair with a stifled yawn, rubbing his crystal blue eyes.

"Perhaps you wouldn't be so tired if you hadn't interrupted me in the middle of the night."

Thierry glanced briefly at his thick watch, the gold hand ticking repeatedly.

Birthdays hazel eyes lingered curiously at the Americans large hands. They were covered in expensive and masculine looking jewellery, a watch, bracelet and several rings on each hand.

Everything was gold, from the cufflinks on his shirt to the matching stud in his ear. It appeared to B that to his distant friend money was no object, one of the more pleasant sides to ignoring the enforced rules and laws of society.

"Quit staring at me would you? It's starting to get creepy," the blond muttered.

"Make me."

"What are you, gay?"

"Says the man wearing _jewellery_," Beyond said dryly, rolling his eyes.

"Is that jealousy I hear?"

"Absolutely. I mean, I have nothing better to do than rob people of their lives savings."

"It has its perks," Aiber shrugged, rolling his sleeves to the elbow.

B could only imagine the extent of the luxurious lifestyle that the American led. The very thought alone was just unreal, almost like a dream.

'_How does he sleep at night?' _the raven thought, a question that he had asked himself often.

As a fellow criminal himself B felt a twinge of sympathy for the man. No matter how much the law differed from country to country Beyond Birthday certainly knew one thing. The consequences were severe, and until Aiber ever truly faced judgement from the authorities he would never realise the full extent of his actions.

In Japan, America and England the law was very different.

Compared to England, the United States and Japan brought the word punishment to an entirely new level.

Capital punishment, a term that Beyond was grateful not to be associated with.

"Get a real job," Beyond said earnestly, "It's not worth the trouble."

"Can't teach an old dog new tricks," Aiber replied casually.

"Tell that to the judge…"

The blond sighed.

"Look Rue, I know you're trying to help me, and I appreciate it, but… you just wouldn't understand. It's just not the same as it was back in the day, things have changed now. I don't live in that crappy apartment and I actually have hot water now. It's not all doom and gloom you know."

Beyond sighed half heartedly and sunk lazily back into the thick pillows. He glanced at the tip on the unruly scar escaping from the white vest that hung loosely from his torso with a deep feeling of mixed emotion, which brewed deep within the pit of his stomach.

"You're just a con-man Thierry. It's not that big of a deal compared to murder or rape or whatever, but the authorities won't see it like that. It's a little bit more severe than just a good telling off or a fine."

Aiber shrugged eager to change the subject which was quickly invading his comfort zone. He was aware that his unruly 'profession' could quite easily earn him a very long stint in prison and a bad record, but it didn't stop him. Nothing ever would. His 'career' had long surpassed being necessary. Now it was much more serious.

It had become an addiction, the bigger the risk of the job, the bigger the thrill.

"You're…. you're such a fucking idiot," Beyond muttered, reliving the scenes in his head. No matter how much time had passed, he could still remember the feeling.

_That_ feeling.

The adrenalin, the pride, and the excitement that had once surged through his veins was addictive.

It felt good.

The sheer memory felt good.

Yet why did it feel so wrong?

It wasn't the consequences or regrets that made Birthday feel bad, nor was it the thought of his victims grieving families that stopped him from sleeping at night.

It wasn't the guilt, which he was certain of. The feeling of blood coating his long, pale fingers was… _oh god_. It was a guilty pleasure like a smoker being addicted to nicotine. B was addicted to the feeling of the substance clinging to his skin.

Jam just wasn't the same, the consistency, the colour, it just wasn't good enough.

It wasn't just the blood, but also the thrill of committing the crime that had driven him to it, the same feeling that Aiber was probably indulging himself in on a regular basis.

'_What a junkie,_' Beyond thought dryly.

A flickering light diverted his attention, a camera suspended from the ceiling in a dark corner beside the window.

Beyond would never admit it to anyone; however he did feel a small, almost microscopic ounce of sympathy for Light Yagami, even if he was mainly a big headed prick with an inflated ego.

It was irritating being watched by L on a twenty four hour basis, let alone being _chained_ to the bastard. It felt (dare he say it) degrading, and the frown etched upon his features must have been more severe than he had originally intended if the blond beside him had taken note of it.

"Something's bothering you; do you want to talk about it?" Morrello asked, kicking off his polished shoes that hit the floor with a muffled thud.

Beyond merely stared. Much to the blonds disappointment he decided not to take the bait and continue drinking, as if he hadn't heard a word escaping the man's lips.

"Come on Rueee, you're supposed to tell friends this sort of thing."

"Friends? That's funny because I don't remember having any," he smiled smugly.

Morrello had blown his chance a long time ago, and he knew it. The blond had noticed a difference in Beyond's personality as soon as he'd sat down. After seeing the familiar face for the first time in many years he'd originally thought, '_he seems different_'.

Now, sitting beside the raven after enough time to think things over for himself, Aiber could see that Rue hadn't changed at all and that he was merely forming a barrier between them, effectively concealing his true thoughts and feelings, a privilege that Aiber had lost.

Time had passed and things had changed.

When the middle aged American watched Rue through a pair of frank blue eyes, he felt curious.

Beyond's dark hair had grown significantly in length, and he was much taller too. He'd inherited a pair of slender arms and legs that looked like match sticks. His fingers were long and thin, wrapped protectively around the neck of the glass bottle. They looked unusually delicate for a male. 'Real' working class men had large calloused hands, thick fingers and wide palms that were rough and worn from work.

Despite the physical changes that had occurred to Birthday, there was something else that the blond had identified, something which was beginning to bother him.

Rue looked tired.

Perhaps the moonlight drifting delicately through the open window was merely playing tricks on Morrello's eyes; perhaps it was just a ghastly illusion.

Yes, that had to be it. All of the thoughts brewing in the blonds head were making him tired, confused and delirious.

Admittedly it had been a rather ridiculous decision to disturb Beyond in the early hours of the morning, especially after the raven had faced a particularly rough day and a heated discussion with none other than L.

Aiber wanted to ask questions, however he wasn't daft enough to ask. He wasn't ready to see a repeat of his 'buddy' Rue having another tantrum. Seeing a toddler kicking and screaming in the middle of a supermarket was enough to cause him to wince; a fully grown man on the other hand was… frightening to say the least.

Beyond glanced at the glass bottle loosely grasped in his pale hand and began to watch the dark liquid begin to swirl calmly.

He found the motion almost strangely hypnotising.

The red wine was undoubtedly a beautiful colour; however for B it was just another dismal replacement, just like the strawberry jam he'd begun to horde in his room.

The colour was _perfect_, the consistency was close enough, all that remained a problem was… the smell. Blood didn't really have much of an odour according to B, wine however had a power fragrance that tended to linger in ones nostrils for several hours after consumption.

'_Fuck,_' he thought in realisation.

He was beginning to think about _it _again.

It could be so easy, so tempting now that the raven was surrounded by civilisation again. How long had it been since he'd sat so close to someone without being separated by bars?

The two were sitting so close that Beyond could smell the cologne Thierry was wearing. He could almost feel the heat radiating off his tanned skin. The blond hair and frank blue eyes which shone so delicately in the light, he looked just like quarter que-

Aiber almost jumped when he suddenly felt the sharp spring of the mattress beside him.

The once calm and tired looking raven had gotten to his feet hastily and was approaching the doorway, his bare feet pacing across the cold, laminate flooring.

"Where's the fire?" the American asked.

"Thanks for the wine;" Beyond muttered, lingering in the doorway, "You always did have good taste."

* * *

"I should have known that you would be hiding up here," L stated dryly, barely restraining a shiver.

As the cold wind embraced his pale skin he found himself suddenly tugging on the end of his long white sleeves, stretching them over the palms of his frail hands in a bid to keep himself warm.

He failed miserably.

"I wasn't hiding," Beyond replied adamantly with an irritated frown.

"Really?" the detective asked, soundly completely unconvinced.

"Yes, really."

"Then what were you doing?"

"Sulking."

'_That sounds about right,_' Light thought, barely restraining himself.

It would be so very easy to make a sarcastic remark as B often did, however Light Yagami promised himself that he would not stoop to such a lowly level of behavioural conduct.

He knew better than that, or at least he liked to think so.

As the young brunette watched B sit perched on the rail, swinging his legs while the wind whipped through his dark hair, he couldn't help but think, '_it would be so very easy and so very tempting to push you off right now._'

He smiled sadistically at the thought. With such a skinny frame it wasn't as if the man was likely to make much of a mess…

"Is this about earlier?" Ryuzaki asked with a small sigh, tugging idly at the metal cuff clasped around his wrist.

"No."

"You're lying."

"They don't call you the world's best detective for no reason. I'm sure you can use those _amazing_ skills of yours to figure out exactly what I'm thinking."

"My decision is final and there is nothing you or anyone else for that matter can do to convince me otherwise. You're moping like a child."

"It was just a suggestion; there was no need to get bitchy about it!"

"I am not being 'bitchy' as you describe it. I'm simply being realistic. If anyone is going go prying around Yotsuba headquarters I can certainly assure you that it will not be you, me or Raito-kun, do you understand?"

Light Yagami had always known that L took his profession seriously. The only time he had seen the detective loose his composure was when Misa had accused him of eyeing her cleavage. Now that had certainly been an interesting experience….

As he watched L glare sternly into B's brown eyes, Light could see a flare of irritation which he had never seen in Ryuzaki before. L's cloudy grey eyes had become sharp, dark and they looked almost thoroughly insincere. His usual vacant expression had suddenly become dominated by a stern frown.

The Yagami had always been oblivious to the fact that Lawliet was slightly older than him; it was something that he had never paid attention to because he simply didn't care.

It killed him to admit it, however usually the pale faced detective didn't look very old at all, regardless of his sickly pale complexion and the dark circles that constantly hung beneath his eyes.

Today, L Lawliet looked much older.

It appeared that finally the stress of the Kira case was catching up with him, and it seemed that no mass of sugar or hot tea could help him now.

'_So he is human after all,_' Light thought sarcastically.

It had been a while since Light had last stepped outside. He was beginning to wonder if being stuck inside for weeks at a time was contributing towards the risk of losing his sanity. Here he was, sitting on the rooftop of an enormous building with the great L the detective, who was in fact _handcuffed_ to him. If that fact alone wasn't bizarre enough, the brunette was currently dating Misa Amane.

He restrained a disapproving frown. Perhaps his last point was debatable, after all Light couldn't actually remember agreeing to date Misa at all.

In an ideal world, things would be much different.

The brunette would still be able to live at home and crawl out of bed whenever he pleased.

He would actually be dating a girl that respected his privacy and didn't screech in his ear like a feral animal.

Of course this would never happen, because Light Yagami didn't live in an ideal world. Why couldn't he have stayed at university and graduate like a normal guy of his age?

Because life wasn't fair, that was why.

"I said do you understand?"

Beyond said nothing, instead he watched the bustling city below in awe with a mild sense of fascination, his dark brown eyes scanning the surveying scenery as the world continued to run like clockwork.

The heaving traffic, the hundreds of thousands of people- it fascinated him.

Japan and America were nothing like England. Birthday couldn't compare a busy day in London to the packed streets of Washington or Tokyo.

The lights intrigued him. He found himself drawn to the mass of brightly lit neon signs and shop windows. Sometimes if he couldn't sleep he would sit at the window drearily and stare dumb-founded with his cheek pressed against the cold glass, like a complete moron.

Beyond turned his head slightly, and through a mop of tousled black hair he could just about see two figures standing a few feet from him, both of them handcuffed together.

It looked like Lawliet was glaring at him angrily.

He probably was.

It looked suspiciously like Light was becoming bored.

He probably was.

"Well?" L asked impatiently, the chain rattling against the rooftop floor as his folded arms fell to his sides tiredly, a hand lazily buried in one of his jean pockets.

"Sorry," Birthday muttered, averting his gaze back to the busy traffic. "Did you say something?"

He could almost feel Lawliet's heated gaze burning into the back of his head. It was a bad move and he knew it.

It took every ounce of his strength to retrain a cocky smile.

"I'm beginning to think that requesting you for this particular case was a bad and hastily made decision," L said bluntly in his usual dreary and dismal tone, "We've hardly made as much progress as I had originally expected, and your input certainly isn't helping."

"Too bad," Beyond said, tightening his grip on the railing partially due to the anger that began to surge through him. "Too-Fucking-Bad."

"I'm glad that you are taking this seriously," Ryuzaki replied dryly.

"What was you expecting? It's not like I asked to be here you know."

"You had a choice. We made a deal."

"And you would have just let me walk away even if I would have said no?"

L's silence confirmed his suspicion. The detective was digging himself into a deeper hole. He'd always intended for Beyond to stay from the beginning, although he hadn't needed to force him. The raven had been like putty in the detectives hands.

"I thought that the opportunity to meet me would be enough for you, enough to tempt you. Is this not the perfect time to prove yourself? I thought that this was what you wanted, to challenge me."

'_Is it?_' Beyond thought dismally, '_Is it really?_'

The truth was, he didn't know what on earth he wanted anymore.

As he stared into the horizon with a pair of dark hazel eyes he because to ponder the current predicament in which he was faced with in life, if you could call it 'living' at all.

The raven was stuck in a sort of… limbo, in the sense that his life was going nowhere.

He'd been lingering in this same nothingness for some time now and he was beginning to grow accustomed to it, too accustomed to the confinement and the permanent barriers surrounding him.

Lawliet was giving him a choice. _Had _given him a choice.

Beyond could see what the man was doing clearly, treating him like a dog being teased with a bone. L had given him a small sample of the 'life' he could have, and had probably been hoping that the temptation would be enough, that he could just lure him easily like a rodent to a trap.

He wasn't stupid.

Ryuzaki made it sound easy. Nothing was ever simple, not for him anyway.

There had once been a time during his life when Beyond would have jumped at the chance to challenge L so intimately. Now, he just wasn't so sure.

It just didn't seem…. appealing anymore.

He couldn't find the enthusiasm.

He couldn't be bothered.

With the world at his feet and the wind blowing softly through his hair, Beyond almost forgot about the impatient detective standing behind him, who was wearing the same long white sleeved t-shirt and plain denim jeans.

L sighed. It appeared to him that this conversation was going nowhere.

He was beginning to believe the he'd have more chance of squeezing blood from a stone.

This was one of the many reasons that he preferred to work alone, because he didn't have the difficult task of dealing with people, interpreting their speech and mannerisms. He didn't have to _socialize_ with them.

He was starting to think that Beyond wasn't human at all. He just couldn't read him in the slightest.

"Ryuzaki," Light said with a loud yawn, "I'm tired. Can we please go inside now?"

"In a moment Raito-kun."

The brunette frowned.

He wasn't sure how much longer he could spend being handcuffed to the insomniac. The numerous sleepless nights were beginning to take its toll on him.

Most nights if it wasn't the loud ticking of the clock keeping the Yagami awake, it was L and the light beaming from the screen of his laptop, and his hands gliding across the clattering keys repeatedly.

The repetitive cycle was bad for his health.

After glancing in the mirror briefly several days ago Light could have sworn that he'd spotted a grey hair amongst his glorious brown locks, a grey hair!

He wasn't a vain person usually and it took a lot to make him self-conscious about his looks. The brunette decided that it was time for a new policy. For each grey hair he found from this day forward, he was going to punch Ryuzaki, **hard**.

"I'm going to bed Ryuzaki," Light said coldly, tugging the chain in adamantly, "I'm sleeping in an actual _bed_, not staying up all night and falling asleep in the chair, understood?"

The raven headed detective sighed.

"In a moment Raito-kun, I'm just-"

"I can hardly keep my eyes open you prick!"

….

"Sorry," Light apologised, embarrassed of his sudden outburst as the heat began to rise in his cheeks, "I just-"

"It is quite alright Raito-kun," L insisted, "There is no need to apologise."

Ignoring the nerves beginning to emerge from the pit of his stomach, L Lawliet looked Beyond Birthday in the eyes and took a deep breath.

"I-"

"You don't have to say it," Beyond replied blankly, "You're sending me back aren't you?"


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: **Death Note belongs to Tsugami Ohba and Takeshi Obata, and _Death Note_ Another _Note: The Los Angeles_ BB _Murder Cases_belongs to Nisio Isin.

**Warnings: **A few swear words.

**/AN:** Can't think of anything useful to say right now other than the fact that this chapter was originally going to be MUCH longer, however it seemed like a very good place to finish. Thanks again for reading and reviewing :) **/**

* * *

Weaving through the thick crowd in annoyance he finally found the small bar which he had been searching for, located in one of the largest districts in Tokyo.

He was late, although he didn't really care. There was no real reason to be punctual anyway, however he had a suspicious feeling that his 'client' wasn't going to see it that way.

After managing to cross the bustling street without being flattened by a car the man was faced with an entirely new challenge, successfully finding his acquaintance.

Peering over the top of a pair of dark sunglasses perched on the bridge of his nose; he could see the small doorway wedged between a busy restaurant and a small supermarket, almost invisible to the naked eye. On the opposite side of the street stood a shaved ice stand, and behind it was a tall building illuminated by an array of neon lights.

The entire city was covered in light displays of all bizarre shapes and sizes.

Walking the crowded streets of Tokyo was a real pleasure.

After stepping in gum and narrowly avoiding being elbowed hard in the ribs by an impatient mother accompanied by her child, he disappeared through the doorway into a dimly lit room, scanning the tables carefully for a familiar looking individual.

It should have been easy to spot the foreigner amongst the usual Japanese regulars.

He sighed irritably. If he had to stand any longer someone was bound to approach him.

He scanned the tables and the bar; it appeared that there was no one waiting for him.

Glancing at the clock hung high on the wall he discovered that it was _almost_ five past six, and he was more than half an hour late.

'_Wonderful...'_ he thought dryly.

He was about to spin on his heel and disappear back through the door in which he'd just passed through, that was until he spotted a small staircase to his left which disappeared beneath the ground, into another room below ground level.

"Stupid sunglasses," he muttered irritably and proceeded to disappear down the small flight of stairs to the second room, in which a familiar gentleman was waiting for him in the furthest corner, a drink in one hand and a bored looking expression gracing his features.

"About time," the blond said with a stern frown, "I was beginning to think that you weren't coming. I hope that you've come prepared with a _believable_ excuse."

"Sorry," the man apologised, slipping into his it with a vacant expression. He removed his jacket and slipped it over the back of the chair, ignoring the curious stares he began to receive from various occupants of the room with a sigh.

"Ever get the feeling that someone's watching you?" he muttered, tracing the rim of an empty tumbler with a slender finger.

"I'm not surprised," the blond said with an amused smile, "It's like fucking winter outside and you're wearing sunglasses."

The man shrugged.

"What are you, the fashion police?"

"What took you so long?"

"I ran into a small problem."

"Problem? What kind of a problem?"

"Matsuda."

* * *

_Two days ago-_

L Lawliet was slouched in his black office chair as usual, un-wrapping a delicious candy as he watched the enormous plasma television screen hanging on the wall with a sense of mild fascination.

He couldn't pry his eyes from the enormous screen because it helped him stay 'focused'.

If he didn't keep himself preoccupied with the images on the screen his mind would begin to wonder, unlike it usually did. For once in his life the detective had decided that in this particular moment in time he would rather not think at all.

It was rather fortunate that the insomniac didn't sleep much at all anyway; otherwise he would have found himself feeling incredibly tired that very morning. For the entire night he hadn't been able to find the enthusiasm or the concentration to do anything remotely productive. All that he had managed to accomplish was fidgeting and staring aimlessly out of the window.

He'd tried to read notes however the words had merely become muddled and blurred across the page, dancing before his grey eyes in torment.

Pressing the cold chocolate to his lips, L frowned.

He was doing it again, _thinking_.

He was feeling... sad.

Usually the pale faced detective was not accustomed to feeling such blatant emotion, especially not during an investigation of all times. The number one rule known to all the great detectives was on the verge of being broken; don't allow your own feelings to interfere with work.

L had seen the consequences before during his career, which was one of the very reasons why he hadn't allowed Naomi Misora to participate in the Kira case, before she die- went missing, because of Ray Penber, because she had loved him.

Although Lawliet hadn't ever been particularly attached to the woman personally, he couldn't help but feel a slight pang of grief strike him, a weight that had settled in the back of his mind for the loss of her life.

They hadn't found a body and her name had been added to the official missing persons database, along with the other hundreds of thousands of people that disappeared without a trace each year.

He refused to believe that people like Naomi simply went missing, she was dead, and he was ninety nine per cent certain of it. She had been murdered, or perhaps had even taken her own life. Perhaps she hadn't been able to face the very thought of a life without Ray to accompany her.

As L stared into Beyond Birthdays dark eyes with deep curiosity he wondered, what drove an individual to commit such an unforgivable crime? What drove a person to kill another human being in cold blood?

He would never understand, although perhaps Beyond did.

'_If I asked would you be able to tell me?_' he thought, watching the man on the large television screen, '_Could you explain to me what made you do it?_'

The man in question was currently sitting on the hard laminate flooring of his room, his back against the wall and long legs sprawled out in front of him, a laptop settled comfortably on his thigh.

He looked surprisingly content despite the current situation.

Ryuzaki had been expecting something, anything other than this.

There appeared to be no fight left within Beyond, no ounce of determination. The sarcastic young man had been replaced with this, a submissive being. Could the he have really given up?

No.

It was unlike Beyond although who was L to judge a man whom he hardly knew? The same principle applied to Kira. Maybe he couldn't predict the moves of a person he didn't know; perhaps he was being too optimistic about the entire circumstance.

The entire situation was suspicious, and for that reason L had made the decision to keep a close eye on him until further notice, until he was permanently removed from the building.

Removed to where? L wasn't quite sure. There were decisions to make and papers to forge, a process which had been left to Watari in complete confidence. These thoughts... they weren't important at that precise moment in time.

Biting his lip in deep thought, he had come to a decision.

His tea wasn't sweet enough.

The detective began to fill his cup with sugar, one cube after the other.

"Are you sure that you're not diabetic?" Mogi joked, watching L reach for his sixth cube.

The detective responded with a mere smile of amusement, the spoon held delicately between his fingertips.

Headquarters was unusually empty that particular day, or at least it seemed to be. Aiber and Beyond were currently in their respective rooms minding their own business and Wedy was meeting a client, the remaining task force members were currently occupying their usual spots in the main office with the exception of a few individuals.

Matsuda was currently accompanying Misa Amane on what had seemed like her millionth photo shoot and Aizawa was running late, _again_.

"Has anyone heard from Aizawa this morning?" L asked with a sigh, running a hand through his tousled black hair, a solemn expression dominating his pale features.

"No, but I will take a pretty good guess that he is 'stuck in traffic' again," Soichiro replied, "Call me old fashioned if you will, but there's one thing I can stand in this profession and that's lack of punctuality..."

Light rolled his eyes.

"Is something bothering you Raito-kun?" L asked with a sly smile, pressing the warm rim of the steaming cup to his lips.

"Smile all you want, I'm the one that has to live with him," the brunette muttered, a newspaper in one hand a black biro in the other.

It was unlike Light to show such lack of restraint in his behaviour. Something had changed in the young Yagami and Lawliet just couldn't put his finger on it. He'd suspected Kira of controlling Light before, there was always a possibility that-

'_No,_' he thought to himself adamantly. If anything had happened he would have noticed, after all, the brunette had been chained to him all of this time.

"Ryuzaki," Light called, "I've had an email from Watari."

He received no response. If the Yagami didn't know any better he would guess that the detective was perhaps day dreaming or at least that was what he appeared to be doing, he could never be too sure. He wouldn't be at all surprised if this was what L knew as 'sleeping'.

"Ryuzaki."

...

"Ryuzaki?"

...

"Ryuzaki, they've found Kira."

"Wha- OUCH!"

The detective uttered a small cry as he spilt hot tea across his lap, dropping the cup in surprise and jumping as it hit the floor.

Never before had he regretted not wearing anything on his bare feet. His lovely clean floor was now in dire need of cleaning again.

Ryuzaki sighed, glancing at Light through a pair of ominous looking narrowed grey eyes.

'_This,_' he thought '_Is a bad day._'

'_Actually,_' he corrected himself, '_Make that a bad week, no-a year, a very bad year, the worst year that I have encountered so far._'

Light struggled to remain composed, barely restraining the grin of amusement that graced his features. He wasn't at all put off by the glare that he was currently receiving.

"Were you smiling Raito-kun?" L accused inquisitively.

"And what if I were?"

"Well... I'd probably make you clean up the mess I've just made."

"I wasn't smiling," Light said defensively, averting his gaze to the computer screen, "It must have been a figment of your imagination."

L raised a single brow questioningly, a small smile of amusement perched upon his lips.

"Do I look like the kind of person who'd laugh at another person's misfortune Ryuzaki?"

"Get down on your hands and knees Raito-kun."

The detective smiled at the sound of Mogi chocking quietly on his drink, the man was clearly hiding the smug expression on his face with the mug in his hand.

The bewildered look on Lights face was priceless.

"Do I look like a maid to you?" the brunette frowned, "Actually, don't answer that, and I'm not cleaning up the mess that _you_ made. Get someone else to do it."

Right on queue the doors opening with the familiar sounding click, a flustered looking Aizawa appeared, scratching his head sheepishly and dragging his case behind him.

"Nice of you to join us," Soichiro said with a disapproving frown.

"I can explain!" the man insisted, "There was a car accident, and-"

"Aizawa?"

"Yes Ryuzaki?" he replied, hanging his head low in defeat.

"I have a task for you," he said, gesturing to the puddle of tea and glass on the floor.

"I'm on it..." Aizawa replied with a small sigh.

"_Anyway_," Light interrupted, "You have a message from Watari. There's another message which has been left by a victim."

"Why didn't you say so?"

The brunette glared daggers.

"Just read the message Ryuzaki."

...

"Raito-kun?"

"What now?"

"It would be helpful if you could open it for me."

"Oh," the Yagami replied with a twinge of embarrassment. Reaching for the computer mouse he clicked on the file and nothing happened.

He clicked again, and still the machine didn't respond. He frowned.

'Stupid thing,' he thought, and proceeded to hit the keyboard with a loose fist impatiently.

The screen became black. Light groaned, and he could already feel the raven's dark eyes watching him.

"Before you accuse me of anything this isn't my fault."

"Looks like the whole systems down," Mogi said, observing all of the blank screens across the office.

L sighed. '_Definitely a bad year,_' he thought.

As he reluctantly craned his neck to the television screen a feeling of despair washed over him as he realised that the entire building was down. A sudden feeling of panic consumed him as he came to a realisation.

Lawliet couldn't see Beyond.

He wasn't going to panic because he was L, and he was going to remain calm and collected.

Calm and collected.

"Shit."

"Ryuzaki!"

"My apologies."

The detective cursed his stupidity. He'd been so determined to stay focused on watching Beyond that he'd succeeded in actually doing the complete opposite.

Biting his thumb in thought he clambered off of his chair carefully avoiding the broken shards of glass scattered across the cold floor. He tugged the chain hanging limply from his wrist motioning for Light to follow him.

L stopped at the large double doors and proceeded to place a hand against the cool metal in thought, averting his gaze to the lifeless keypad on the wall. The usually illuminated keypad remained dark.

All it had taken was a few minutes when his back had been turned; just a few moments of distraction had been more than enough. He felt stupid. Now he remembered why he didn't usually involve other people in important cases, particularly criminals, because it was a bad idea.

It had to have been Beyond, although it could have merely been a coincidence. L needed to be sure, he needed to be certain that his colleagues were safe. He wanted to _feel_ safe.

The truth was on the other side of the door confined to the dull office, the detective didn't feel safe at all.

He felt trapped.

The raven lowered his head in defeat, curling his fingers into a fist.

"This door is powered by electricity," he stated obviously.

"So?" Light said, beginning to lose his patience, his arms folded stubbornly whilst he watched the man with a curious glare.

"It means we're trapped."

"Don't you have precautions for things like this?" Light asked.

"There should be a lever," L replied in a low voice, slouching more than usual. He tried his best to at least make himself _feel _invisible.

"Great!" Aizawa exclaimed, "Where is it?"

"On the other side of the door," he answered reluctantly.

An awkward silence ensued amongst the males in the office from that moment. Light Yagami (who had been at the end of his tether all week) was looking particularly irritated, almost angry in fact.

Could Ryuzaki blame him? Not really, as he was probably responsible in some way for whatever had caused the brunettes irritation.

The teenager had been bottling up his feelings for a while for the sake of the investigation, he'd wanted to retain a degree of professionalism. How much longer it would last for, he couldn't be sure.

'_Stay calm,_' Light thought to himself reassuringly as he struggled to control his temper. To him, Ryuzaki had been living on borrowed time for the entire week. Of course he'd snapped at the man a few times and uttered a few comments but he hadn't _really_ snapped, yet.

He breathed in through the nose deeply, and out through the mouth.

Deep down the Yagami knew that what he really needed in fact wasn't new breathing techniques. What he really needed was to lose his temper.

As he pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, Light was struck with an idea.

"Ryuzaki, you have a mobile don't you?"

The pale detective reached into his back pocket and retrieved the device in question, holding it far from his body between two fingers as if it were contaminated.

"Do you have B or Aiber's number?"

_Aiber_.

L could feel a surge of panic jolt through his system. His gray eyes grew wide in realisation.

"Aiber!" he exclaimed, and began to scan the device for the blonds' mobile number.

"We need to find B," the detective said quickly, prying the door impatiently with his long, slender fingers, "Find him and don't let him leave under ANY circumstances."

"Ryuzaki, what the-"

"No time," he replied quickly, listening anxiously to the dialling tone.

Waiting for Morello to answer almost felt like an eternity as each second passed. Each ring was beginning to seem slower that the previous one. He held the mobile to his ear and listened attentively, biting his lip anxiously.

"_Hello?"_

L almost jumped when he heard the familiar voice speak, and released a relieved breath that he hadn't even realised he'd been holding.

"Aiber are you ok?"

"_I'm fine... Why do you-"_

"Listen carefully, I need you to- Raito-kun! I order you to let go of me this-"

Light Yagami took hold of the detective's collar and there was a loud thud as the man's back collided roughly with the hard door.

"_Hello?"_

"Light Yagami, I order you to release me this instant!"

"I don't think that you're in the position to be making demands L, I have questions _friend_."

"We will discuss this later! There's no-"

"Don't fuck with me!" the brunettes dark eyes flared angrily, "No more secrets, no more lies, I want to know everything you conniving little-"

"LIGHT!" Soichiro Yagami said firmly, "That is more than enough!"

"_HELLO?"_

"Aiber, I need you to-"

L paused. As he was being held against the door he could see something particularly interesting from the corner of his grey eyes, something that he could only witness now that he was looking from the correct angle, however there was something stopping him from exploring his discovery any further.

He did only what appeared to be the best solution at the time, and proceeded to hit the teenager hard in the jaw.

Light eventually let go and recoiled several steps backwards in mild shock, cradling his throbbing cheek.

Ryuzaki began to pry the door open with his fingers and the small gap which he had discovered gradually became wider.

"It's open," Mogi noted quietly, "Someone must have-"

Without warning L bolted through the door recklessly, inevitably tugging the furious brunette along with him, heading to the nearest flight of stairs as quickly as his skinny legs (and the handcuffs) could allow him.

"Do you have the key to your room?"

"_Yes, but I don't see how this is-"_

"Lock yourself in."

"_Excuse me?"_

"Just do as I tell you!"

"_Are you insane? I'm not- Rue? What the fuck are you-"_

The sound of smashing glass filled Lawliet's ears, followed by the sound of an eerie short silence.

"Aiber?"

"_I'm sorry; Aiber's a little busy right now."_

"Stop." Ryuzaki said almost pleadingly, desperately, "Let's talk about this. I'm sure that we could come to an understanding of some sort."

"_Talk?"_ he laughed, _"Don't be ridiculous, you know what they say. Actions speak louder than words. Goodbye."_


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: **Death Note belongs to Tsugami Ohba and Takeshi Obata, and _Death Note_ Another _Note: The Los Angeles_ BB _Murder Cases_belongs to Nisio Isin.

**Warnings: **Swearing.

**Note:** This chapter begins a short while before the end of the last chapter.

**/ AN: **I would like to thank everyone for the wonderful feedback which I received last chapter. It's funny how things turn out, originally I only intended to include Aiber as a small character...To be honest I didn't know what I was doing with this chapter. I changed it so many times... Sorry for the wait!** /**

* * *

Beyond's heart pounded vigorously against his ribs as he disappeared hastily up the long flight of endless stairs, his lungs beginning to ache with each shallow breath that he took.

As he gazed ahead with a pair of dark hazel eyes it almost seemed as if he were trapped in a repetitive cycle. Each desperate step that he took appeared futile. It was as if he weren't moving forward at all, but taking several steps back.

It should have been relatively easy to nail a few flights of stairs at his age; it should have been a walk in the park.

Whatever happened to the spring in his step and those strong muscles in his calves?

He missed them.

Of course being in prison had deprived him greatly of a lot of exercise, it was no wonder that his body had become so weak. Beyond was hardly surprised, and it was definitely inconvenient now of all times. Not that he ever used to be too strong in the first place...

When the raven reached the top of the stairs he proceeded to barge his way through a set of large double doors that hit the wall with a loud thud behind him, swinging back and forth repeatedly.

Each step that he took echoed down the large corridor, accompanied by the ragged breaths that followed.

He didn't know how much time he had, nor did he know if any of his antics were going to work at all. It was dangerous, he knew that for certain. But did he care that he might fail again? No, but he would certainly try his best to succeed.

If they caught him, it didn't matter. He was already sentenced to a lifetime behind bars; surely a little more deviance wouldn't make any difference. It couldn't get any worse... could it?

'Don't think about it,' he thought adamantly to himself as he began to slow his pace, 'think... positively.'

Beyond sighed in relief when he finally spotted a familiar door which appeared to be ajar; the lights were off and the room appeared to be dark, the faint glow of the bright city lights seeping through the dark blinds.

As he swung the door open hurriedly, a confused gaze fell upon his features. The familiar room didn't look quite the same as he remembered...

The laminate flooring had been replaced with a cream carpet, and the walls were a dull white wash.

His lungs aching, Beyond recoiled in horror as he observed the number on the front of the door, the brass digits nailed to the wood just like all of the other rooms.

He couldn't believe it; he was on the wrong floor.

He was on the wrong fucking floor.

Slumped roughly against the wall, Birthday proceeded to run a hand through his tousled hair in disbelief.

He felt stupid.

He _was_ stupid.

It should have been easy, but of course like many other things in his insanely complex life, it wasn't. Now he had to make the big decision; whether to surrender to his aching legs or fight this battle to the end for all it was worth.

After all there was still a slim chance that he could walk away from this, not innocent, but at least with a clear conscience.

"To hell with it," he muttered tiredly, and made a slow jog back through the corridor, his legs beginning to buckle as he battered his way back through the double doors and making his way up the long flight of stairs, in the _correct_ direction.

Something began to grow in the pit of his stomach, something that could have easily been mistaken for nerves, but Beyond recognised this sensation.

It was excitement.

The man didn't have much of a plan, not really. He was simply going to find Aiber, burst into his room, deal with his business and follow his instincts.

Anything could happen.

Beyond wondered curiously if he had enough time; deep down he wanted to pay one last brief visit to his room and check that he hadn't missed anything, anything that could be remotely useful.

Of course he didn't own any belongings, not even the clothes on his back or the watch on his slender wrist, which had been pinched from the office just a few nights ago. He had a funny feeling that it belonged to Matsuda, but it didn't really matter anymore.

There were so many questions that Birthday could ask himself at that moment.

What was he going to do if he actually made it out?

Where would he go?

How would he get money?

He didn't know. He didn't have anything, and he also highly doubted that L would just leave cash lying around the humongous building, not when he knew that there were criminals lurking. Lawliet wasn't that stupid, was he?

'_Don't even think about it,_' he scolded himself sternly.

There was no time for scavenging, although B almost wished that he'd been a little more organised...

He approached the doors cautiously this time, clamping a hand over his mouth to stifle his ragged breaths, shoes scuffing the floor sluggishly as he headed for his room.

There was a good chance that Thierry Morello was still in his room, and an even bigger chance that L was already searching for him.

There were no taking chances, not this time.

He had to do this right; he didn't have time for mistakes, did he?

The ringing of a mobile phone pierced the daunting silence, the shrilling ringing almost made the raven jump out of his skin. He could feel his heart recoil in horror, pounding against his ribs vigorously in protest.

The sound emerged through the open door of Aiber's room.

* * *

Aiber began to mutter a string of curses as the phone continued to ring, stumbling through the dark room as he searched for the irritating device.

**RING RING.**

"I'm coming already," he growled in annoyance, holding the mobile to his ear, "Hello?"

"_Aiber,"_ a familiar voice replied with a sigh of relief, _"Are you ok?"_

"I'm fine. Why do you-"

"Listen carefully, I- Raito-kun! I order you to let go of me this-"

* * *

"Hello?"

Beyond froze in panic, a hand still held tightly over his mouth to conceal his nervous and laboured breathing. His heart hammered against his ribs as the adrenaline began to surge through his system, the familiar sensation that began to pump through his veins, making his body tingle from head to toe.

He remembered feeling like this before, with blood smeared across his pale hands and the crimson splatters staining his clean shirt.

When he closed his eyes he could still feel the warm liquid clinging to his sensitive skin, could still hear the screams of terror ringing in his ears-

"Hello?"

Clenching his palm into a tight fist, he took a deep breath, his eyes fixed entirely on the ajar door beside him.

"Excuse me?"

He bit his lip in anticipation, clinging to the door frame with a single hand-

"Are you insane? I'm not-Rue?"

Beyond smiled eerily as he walked casually through the doorway, eyeing an empty wine bottle on the table closely before taking it calmly in his hand, the cold sensation singing against his skin.

"Hello?"

The blond stared at the familiar intruder, confused and somewhat curious. He watched as the raven approached steadily, the bottle grasped tightly in his pale hand, shaking slightly in anticipation.

"What the fuck are you-"

**SMASH.**

The broken shards of glass lay scattered on the cream carpet at Morello's feet.

The blond was speechless.

He'd honestly thought that the raven was going to hit him just by looking at the wide pupils in his eyes. There was something different about him, the way that his eyes darted back and forth, the way that his chest heaved with each breath. He almost looked... weirdly excited.

Beyond raised a single finger and pressed it to his lips.

"_Shhh."_

Aiber didn't protest when a hand reached for the device held limply to his ear, he merely stared in bewilderment. He thought to himself idly, 'This is either a bad dream or a really bad joke.'

"_Aiber?"_

"I'm sorry; Aiber's a little busy right now."

"_Stop, let's talk about this, I'm sure we could come to an understanding of some sort."_

"Talk? Don't make me laugh! You know what they say. Actions speak louder than words."

Aiber flinched as Beyond stepped forward, the green glass crunching beneath his feet, the smile of a maniac tattooed to his lips. The neck of the bottle was still grasped in his hand tightly, the mobile phone pressed inquisitively to his ear using the other.

The American eyed the mobile curiously, averting his gaze back and forth between the device and the glass in Birthdays hand.

"_Listen to me."_

"I'm done with listening. Goodbye L, it was nice to meet you at last. I apologise in advance for the mess I'm about to-"

Lunging in desperation, Aiber attempted to make a grab for the device, only managing to succeed in knocking it from Beyond's grasp.

"L," he called, "I-"

His fingertips were merely inches from reaching it, but something was stopping him from getting any closer, the sensation of cold glass being pressed to the column of his throat.

"_Aiber?"_

The American froze when a voice sounded in his ear, a long slender arm coiling around his neck.

"If you even think about moving a muscle, I'll be redecorating this room with your blood, understand?"

The blond didn't move, standing frozen to the spot, not a word emerging from his parted lips.

Beyond smiled.

"That's the spirit."

He held the phone in his grasp and proceeded to hang up, tossing the device over his shoulder carelessly, sighing in relief. He took several steps back, releasing the traumatising blond held in his arm.

Morello watched nervously as Beyond watched him with a small smile.

"That went rather well..."

...

"What?"

"Honestly, I thought that I'd never get rid of him! Anyway, I'd love to stay and chat but I'm a little short for time so I'll get straight to the point-"

"ARE YOU INSANE?"

"Probably."

"You fucking lunatic! What the hell are you-"

"Lunatic hmm?" Birthday asked, holding the broken glass to Morello's neck, "If you don't shut up and listen _pal_, _I'll_ show you just how loony I can be."

The blond didn't doubt for a second that it wasn't true, and he had absolutely no idea what the man would want from him of all people.

"What's this all about Rue? Money?" he asked nervously, "You wouldn't hurt me!"

"How can you be so sure?"

"I know you, we-"

"You don't know me, not anymore! Let me tell you _friend_, there are things that you don't know about me, things that you don't understand about any of this-"

"What do you want from me?"

"This isn't about you!" Beyond hissed, "I don't have much time to explain, they'll come looking for me soon." He craned his neck towards the window and seized Aiber's chin with his fingers, tilting his head roughly to make sure that the man was looking him in the eyes.

He could see the mild terror in the blond's eyes; he could feel the smile gracing his lips.

The way Thierry was being held in his grasp, it was just like old times, except now it wasn't Quarter Queen, Believe Bridesmaid or Backyard Bottomslash this time.

"Listen carefully, I'm only going to say this once. I want you to-"

"**For goodness sake Ryuzaki, just un-cuff me already! I swear to god that I'm going to strangle you with this thing!"**

Beyond froze visibly on the spot, holding his breath nervously in anticipation. He recognised that voice.

It sounded close, almost as if it were coming from the stairway...

* * *

Light Yagami glared furiously at the detective, rubbing his hip in pain.

He began to peel himself off of the hard floor muttering a string of curses, watching L rise to his feet quickly. The raven was avoiding eye contact, which angered the teen further (if that was even possible).

Moments ago the pair had been climbing the stair case, the long chain rattling against the steps. Unfortunately for Lawliet he had made the same mistake as Beyond, running hurriedly in the direction of the large double doors which happened to be situated on the _wrong_ floor.

The two had continued to bolt in opposite directions and eventually the chain startled them both with a rough jerk, causing them both to lose their footing gracefully and land hard on the cold floor.

While Light had landed hard on his hip, L managed to succeed in tripping over his own two feet, knocking his head on the stair rail with an undignified thud.

The raven headed detective was struck by a sudden feeling of despair that washed over him, a shiver trailing down his spine as the teenagers dark eyes watched him angrily. He tried desperately to ignore the brunette, the back of his head beginning to ache with a dull throb.

There was one thought in particular that lingered in Ryuzaki's mind at that moment as they both clambered to their feet.

'I have an awfully bad feeling that this is going to hurt in the morning,' he thought dismally.

* * *

He squeezed the glass in his hand tightly, a confident smile tugged at his thin lips. He looked up at Morello through a mop of tousled black hair, the city lights glowing on his pallid white skin.

The neck of the bottle hit the soft carpet with a muffled thud, tumbling across the floor at his feet.

"I'm sorry," Beyond said sincerely, his gaze lowering to the floor in what only appeared to be shame, "This is going to sting a bit..."

* * *

As Beyond Birthday disappeared down the dark winding corridor, he struggled to contain his amusement, barley restraining the maniacal laughter that threatened to spill from his lips, a satisfied grin tattooed to his features.

He no longer felt the crippling effect of tedious boredom or the mild depression which often tended to linger over him like a dark storm cloud.

His life had once consisted of immense tediousness and dull confinement. Now, he was beginning to feel the enthusiasm return to his system, the electrifying warmth flooding through his veins that had once become a distant memory to him.

If Beyond hadn't been in such a hurry to leave he could have perhaps savoured the moment, there may have even been a slight spring in his step. Even the throbbing of his sore knuckles couldn't damage the wonderful mood that he was in, even if it was starting to ache slightly...

It was unfortunate for the raven that his skinny frame was so prone to bruising as easily as a satsuma; it made him feel like such a wimp at times. Despite this, Birthday was pleased with himself. He carried his wounds with pride, like battle scars.

Still, Beyond had much more important matters to attend to. He needed to find somewhere to stay the night, preferably a warm, cosy and luxurious hotel room complete with a large double bed, silk sheets and a spacious on suite bathroom.

It probably wouldn't turn out like that, it never did.

He could already imagine it now, what the future had to offer him. Sleeping rough out on the streets in all weathers, trying to avoid L and the police like an escaped convict...

He was not desperate, he had some dignity.

It was eerily dark outside at least, something which Beyond was extremely thankful for.

Sliding down the banister, his satisfied expression soon fell to a troubled frown. Before he did anything, he was going to need to find the exit first...

* * *

_The next morning;_

The office remained silent.

Ryuzaki had summoned the entire task force for an emergency meeting, and it had quickly become apparent to him that perhaps it hadn't been such a good idea after all.

The air was so thick that he'd almost considered opening a window.

Whilst his colleagues began to stare disapprovingly in his direction, the detective gazed hopelessly at the bowl of sugar cubes sitting in his lap and began to contemplate the possibility of a sugar overdose. Anything had to be much more pleasant than _this_.

While Lawliet stared lifelessly into the bowl in his lap, Light Yagami continued to pace back and forth in irritation, the chain hanging limply from his wrist, rattling with each movement.

Despite the brunettes urge and threat to strangle the pale detective, L had managed to survive the night without sustaining any further injuries; however he wasn't so sure that this was something to be remotely pleased about. Light had never refrained from hitting him before and on this particular occasion he probably deserved it- _did_ deserve it.

L was ninety nine per cent positive that it would only be a matter of time until he got the stuffing beaten out of him, and if he hadn't been depressed about the Kira case before- he certainly was now.

He was counting down the hours slowly but surely in his mind.

For the first time in a while he was no longer feeling threatened by Kira, unless Light Yagami was hiding something, but that was another story.

He had other things on his mind, equally important things.

The thought of Beyond Birthday roaming the streets freely was enough to send a chill down his spine. L resisted the urge to squirm, cursing himself mentally for being far too lenient with the man, dangerously lenient.

He felt like a fool.

The detective was determined to fix his mistakes, at severe costs if he had to.

He was going to fix this and it didn't matter what obstacles were in his path, even if it happened to be an extremely pissed light Yagami cuffed to his wrist. Watari had offered him the small key on more than one occasion, which had been rejected adamantly.

The building was quiet, eerily quiet, with the exception of Misa Amane as usual, who was currently residing in her room contently, singing and texting like there was no tomorrow.

The blonde had seemed to pick up on the heavy atmosphere lingering throughout headquarters.

Ryuzaki shifted uncomfortably, slipping from his inner musings tiredly as he realised that Light had been talking him, slipping in the occasional glare in his direction with a pair of dark, narrowed hazel eyes.

"Well?" The teenager asked impatiently, his arms folded tightly as he looked down upon the detective, "Do you have anything to say for yourself L?"

Lawliet wondered idly if the Yagami's pacing would eventually wear a hole through the floor.

"Words would not be enough Raito-Kun," he replied with a small sigh.

Even the magnificent tray of chocolate cake beside him was not enough to muster any ounce of enthusiasm. In fact the only thing that the moist chocolate sponge had succeeded in doing was make him feel rather ill.

"Are you going to tell us anything?" Aizawa inquired, "Or are we going to just sit in silence through this meeting?"

"With all due respect Aizawa, I'm still looking for the right words."

"I thought you said that words wouldn't be enough?"

"Exactly," the detective replied meekly, "I'm not sure where to start-"

"From the beginning..." Light muttered impatiently.

"Light." Soichiro Yagami warned sternly, motioning for L to continue.

"The first time I met him in person was when I invited him to work with us on the Kira case. I'd only ever seen a single photograph until he-"

"Beyond."

"Yes... Beyond."

"Does he have a family name?"

"That information is restricted Raito-kun. Although I can tell you that he spent a few years of his life at Wammys Orphanage until he went missing. For years he remained on the missing persons list, until sometime later when he was found in Los Angeles by... Naomi Misora."

"She was looking for him? Why?" Matsuda asked curiously, running a hand through his hair in mild confusion.

"No...Not searching for him. It was a mere coincidence that she happened to find him. He was connected to a case that I had asked her to investigate."

"Connected?" Light asked.

"Well... convicted actually." L finished rather reluctantly.

The teenager raised a brow in question, and the small gesture was enough to trigger to wreathe of nerves beginning to form in the pit of his stomach.

Suddenly L was beginning to feel much sicker than he had been feeling before.

He'd said too much.

Peering down his nose at the sweet, lukewarm tea in his cup he grimaced, placing the cup on the table beside him.

"What was he convicted for Ryuzaki?"

...

"Murder."

He could have made something up or altered the story; however the detective was too late. As soon as the words left his lips he lowered his head in defeat, biting his lip nervously, and waiting for the aftermath...

"You idiot..." Light seethed. "You fucking-"

"Light," his father scolded, resting a hand on his son's shoulder warningly, "let's be reasonable about this-"

"REASONABLE?" The teenager said in disbelief. "That's all we need, another killer on the loose! Maybe he'll join forces with Kira and they'll both finish you off together!"

The detective did his best to appear calm and collected as usual, ignoring the guilt that began to gnaw on his conscience. Trying his upmost to ignore the wreathing in his stomach, Ryuzaki took a deep breath, shifting once again in his seat and rested his pale hands onto his bony knees with a blank expression.

He looked at the Yagami calmly with a pair of soft grey eyes and said with certainty, "Don't be ridiculous Raito-kun. Beyond has no intention of killing me."

'Beyond wouldn't kill me... would he?' The raven thought nervously, resisting the urge to shift again in his seat. Lawliet wouldn't be entirely surprised if Birthday did have feelings of murderous intent towards him, after all he had several reasons to be _slightly _irritated with him.

The first reason was the fact that L had succeeded in solving the Los Angeles Murder Case, which had ended in Misora preventing Birthday from killing himself and instead submitting him to what had then been permanent imprisonment.

The second reason was most likely related to the fact that the detective had suddenly appeared in Beyond's life with a mere promise that he did not keep.

He'd lied to BB, which hadn't been the wisest of decisions. The man was smart, and he'd either use his intelligence to keep himself out of trouble or make Lawliet's life a living misery. L sincerely hoped that it wasn't going to be that latter one, although he probably deserved it.

He could almost picture Beyond, standing before him with a pair of glittering hazel eyes filled with murderous intent, the wicked splatter of blood smeared across his palms and his cheek, soaking his shirt not with his own blood, but L's.

Ryuzaki had already seen what Beyond had done to his victims, and the thought itself sent an unpleasant chill down his spine that made his toes curl.

He didn't want to imagine what could happen to him, he didn't want to imagine his own organs being ripped out in front of him.

He shivered.

"I'm the one being ridiculous?" Light replied in disbelief. "What were you thinking? Did you ever think about what could have happened to us? Just look at what happened to Aiber Ryuzaki!"

...

"How is he?" Matsuda asked reluctantly, avoiding eye contact.

L slumped a little lower in his seat and turned to Matsuda, watching him as he spoke.

"He'll be fine," L assured him, almost trying to convince himself at the same time. He tried to convince himself that the blond wasn't going to hold much of a grudge against him at least.

He didn't sound certain, but Matsuda didn't question him any further.

It was obvious to the entire taskforce that the detective had a lot on his mind, and no matter how hard L tried, he couldn't erase the image of Aiber's blood stained carpet from his mind.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: ** Death Note belongs to Tsugami Ohba and Takeshi Obata, and _Death Note_ Another _Note: The Los Angeles_ BB _Murder Cases_belongs to Nisio Isin.

**Warnings: **Language, for anyone that cares.

**/ AN: **This is where you would expect me to write an excuse for not posting in so long. Life interrupted for a while, but I am unemployed now, so I might get more done. I thought about putting this story on hiatus, but that way it would never get finished. I didn't want to post this chapter, but people kept messaging me, so... Here it is.**/**

**My name used to be HitachiinTwin01. I dont know why I am telling you this... But there you go! I just did.**

* * *

Beyond's dark eyes shifted, and he slyly averted his gaze briefly to the man's enticing and glistening gold cuffs, thinking curiously.

"I ran into a small problem," he muttered in irritation, raking a pale hand through his black tousled hair, a small frown shadowing his features. It was safe to say that Beyond Birthday had woken up on the right side of the bed that morning, or perhaps that would have been the case had he actually slept in one...

Who needed beds anyway?

The hard, cold floor was far more comfortable, so comfortable in fact that his back and gluteus maximus were protesting rather thoroughly. He shifted slightly is discomfort, biting his lip as his spine began to ache, barely restraining a groan of discontent.

'_Screw winter,'_ he thought bitterly.

"Problem?"

Beyond nodded, slouching lazily in his seat. He took an empty tumbler from the table and began to examine it idly under the dim light, tracing the rim of the glass with a single bony finger.

"What kind of problem?"

"Matsuda. I'm sure that he didn't see me, there were too many people, but I had to take a different route, just to be safe."

"Sounds like an excuse to me," the American muttered, taking a mouthful of sharp whiskey to satisfy his eager taste buds.

In reality, he was drinking in an attempt to calm his fraying nerves, but he wasn't going to tell Beyond that. He wasn't going to tell him anything. He was going to simply sit, drink, occasionally nod to show that he was paying attention and ignore the throbbing in his nose.

Birthday admired his handy work, barely managing to restrain a small smile. He could still remember the feeling of cartilage crunch beneath his fist and the sensation of warm blood streaming down his arm, soaking his shirt.

He counted himself lucky that he had been wearing black that day. Fortunately, the crimson mess had been almost invisible against dark fabric of the shirt; however it had slightly ruined the afterglow for the raven. The shirt had clung to his skin in a sticky mess, and he'd been unable to change it.

Ah, the benefits of being homeless.

Much to his disappointment however, it appeared that there wouldn't be any lasting damage, just a slight crookedness of the nose which was almost undetectable.

Just glancing at the blond made Beyond's fist clench in irritation. He glanced to the con artist with a frown, absorbing the man's pricey and flamboyant appearance. He tried hard to restrain his repulsion, fighting the urge to gag.

He'd never understood the loud shirts and the heavy gold jewellery. He couldn't understand how this had ever really became a fashion, if you could call it that. The word fashion itself was a bit of a stretch in his opinion...

"What's Matsuda doing all the way out here?" Beyond asked curiously, watching the American with a pair of sharp, hazel eyes.

"I heard something about Misa doing a promotion or something. He's practically her shadow now. I don't know how he-"

"He's an idiot," Birthday interrupted sourly with a look of disapproval. "The perverts probably having the time of his life right now."

"Someone's in a bad mood today..."

"So would you be if you'd slept in a toilet cubicle all week. My arse is _killing_ me!"

Silence.

The awkwardness between them was almost crippling, and Beyond's declaration had done nothing to nurture the situation.

"I got punched in the face, but you don't hear me complaining..."

Beyond could feel his muscles tense as soon as the words left Thierry's lips. The smug look in those soft blue eyes was enough to make his toes curl.

"I suppose I should apologise for that," he replied coldly, averting his gaze to a grotty ashtray on the table beside him. "But- I won't."

The blond sighed, muttering incoherently under his breath something that sounded suspiciously like 'sadist'.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"I thought so."

Beyond glared bitterly, his eyes narrowed dangerously in irritation.

He'd been fooling himself for a while now, ever since Aiber had appeared in headquarters. What seemed like months ago had only in fact been a considerable number of weeks. Time had gotten slower (or at least that was how it seemed), gnawing away at his conscience mockingly, just as it had done in prison. There had always been _something_ festering in the back of his mind, mocking and criticising him. Beyond once thought that perhaps it had been his conscience, until he had one day realised rather humorously one day that he did not in fact possess one.

At that precise moment in time, he found himself almost missing his lonely cell in Los Angeles... Almost.

The world itself was one big prison. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and no freedom.

Privacy was just a myth.

He'd always been different. The world just seemed to know, it just seemed to naturally _outcast_ him from society. Beyond Birthday had never possessed a feeling or a sense of belonging.

The entire world was a foreign place to him.

He'd thought naively that he could pretend nothing had ever happened. For a while, he'd almost forgotten the incident itself entirely- or at least he'd _tried_ to.

There was no ignoring the friction that existed between them.

The small smile that often graced his lips was warm and welcoming, like the pleasant gaze emitting from his soft blue eyes. The aura he possessed was calm, and the blond was a natural at conversing with everyone. No matter who they were or where they were from, Aiber could talk to them.

He made them feel understood.

They were drawn to him and his shiny jewellery.

They were blinded by his extravagance; Birthday had almost surrendered to the man's seemingly trusting nature again until he remembered that Thierry Morello was a con artist. Beyond almost expected everything about him to be faux, from the stud in his ear to the pearly white teeth that glistened as he spoke.

"Drink?" The blond asked, breaking the daunting silence as he drummed his fingers on the table languidly.

"What's the catch?" Beyond snapped back, almost a little quicker that he had anticipated.

"There isn't one. What do you want _Rue_?"

"Whatever's the most expensive, _please_."

As Aiber left the table the raven released a tired groan, rubbing his eyes meekly with a slender hand.

Living rough just wasn't what it used to be. It had lost its appealing qualities of adventure, and had become simply a stupid thing to do.

Resting his head in his hands with a stifled yawn, it had become clear to Beyond Birthday that once again he had arrived at the dismal point in his life in which he just didn't know what to do with himself. Like a stray dog, he had become a wonderer without a home- again.

He had no ambition or motivation, or at least that was how he'd felt the moment he'd awoken that morning.

He'd almost wished that he'd been in prison. Life had been painfully simple back then, when he'd had nothing to worry about because they'd already caught him. There had been nothing else to run from.

A familiar arm reached over his shoulder, leaving a full glass on the table; the scent of a strong aftershave lingered in the air-

The smell was nauseating, and it took every ounce of Beyond Birthdays concentration to prevent himself from gagging in repulsion. He was sure that the man would have smelt much nicer without it, although honestly it probably smelt better that he did at that precise moment.

Sleeping rough had its advantages- nothing.

There was nothing remotely plausible about sleeping on a hard floor. He hadn't enjoyed it much in the past and he certainly wasn't enjoying it now. It did however provide Birthday with the 'ultimate' freedom and release that he had been so desperately wishing for, just not how he had imagined it to be.

Back in prison he'd often dreamt of having somewhere to live again, a home that belonged to him.

He'd wanted to be able to use the shower for as little or long as he desired, without being watched.

He'd missed being able to wear simple things that were considered to be minimal parts of his usual attire, such as shoes that had laces in them. The prison had prevented him from being within reach of various items that were considered to be even remotely 'dangerous', because they had been so very concerned that Beyond would try to kill himself- again.

It meant that he'd been deprived of some things, such as a decent razor to shave with. He still had nightmares about the hideous and blunt monstrosity. He'd struggled to cut any hair with it, let alone his own wrists.

The cutlery had been plastic, and he'd also been given a cell without a bunk bed, to prevent Beyond from hanging himself from it.

"What are you thinking about so hard?"

"Nothing really. Just trying to decide whether you've set me up or not..."

Aiber waited for the man to laugh.

Beyond's face remained completely and utterly expressionless, the usual tone of sarcasm absent from his voice.

"Are you serious? Come on Rue, you know I wouldn't-"

"Don't make me laugh!" Beyond spat, "I'm not the idiot that I was a few years ago. Don't try and lie to me _friend_, because I won't buy it this time."

The blond frowned disapprovingly and folded his arms with a defeated sigh.

"I'm not going to try and beg you for forgiveness because I know that it won't change anything, but I'll say this-"

Beyond rolled his eyes and began to examine his fingernails idly in anticipation.

"I wouldn't lie to you, not anymore. I promise that Ryuzaki has nothing to do with this."

"I bet you're up to your eyeballs in cameras and microphones..."

"I came here because I wanted to. You wanted me to. I owe you that much."

Beyond was struggling to find the appropriate words to respond with. He wanted to say something, anything that wasn't remotely sarcastic, but he couldn't help himself. He had a feeling that Aiber was being sincere, but the small feeling wasn't enough to stop the words from leaving his mouth. It was almost like living with tourettes.

Beyond Birthday just couldn't control himself.

"For a minute there... I almost forgot that you were a good actor," he said, raising the glass to his lips. He was about to take a sip when his conscience wisely decided against it. Instead, the raven eyed the amber liquid suspiciously before lowering the glass to the table.

He scolded himself mentally for almost doing something incredibly stupid. It could have easily been drugged. The chances were slim, and B knew that he was being too suspicious, although perhaps on this occasion it was wise to be cautious.

"I don't care if L's listening or not," Beyond said sternly. "Let's get down to business. I want the truth from you, understand?"

Beyond's serious tone sent chills down Aiber's spine, and the blond was beginning to repeat L's accusations against the man more and more in his head.

Surely L wasn't serious, was he?

"Think carefully before you answer my _friend_." Birthday said menacingly, "If I find out that you lied to me I might hit you again, and I won't hold back this time. Understood?"

Morello nodded hesitantly, listening sharply to each and every word as he tried to steady the small glass in his large hands. The tremor was barely noticeable, but that didn't matter. It made him feel pathetic just the same.

"Does L know we're here?"

"No."

"Did you check if your stuff had been bugged before you left?"

"Of course I did, just like I do every morning." Beyond eyed the man suspiciously, raising a brow in question. "Of course I fucking didn't! Do you really think the he'd- Ok, point taken, but don't you think that your being just a little bit paranoid-"

"You know what I want," Birthday said sternly, his piercing gaze shifted to the letters and numbers that hung over Aiber's head. He narrowed his eyes curiously, trying to make sense of the jumbled array until it finally appeared in order.

Beyond didn't make a habit of using his ability for personal interest; usually he tended to ignore it. This time however, he couldn't help himself. Temptation had gotten the better of him, and soon B found that- he was thoroughly disappointed, as it seemed that the blond was in fact going to live for a considerable number of years.

How tragic.

"Look," the blond said blankly. "I don't carry that sort of money."

Beyond leaned across the table as best he could; Aiber could feel the raven's warm breath on the shell of his ear. For the first time in a while, the large American began to panic, and the voice in his other ear wasn't helping in the slightest.

He'd thought naively that perhaps having L to guide him through the entire process would have made him feel slightly better about the severity of the situation.

Apparently, he'd been wrong.

* * *

"He knows," L said bluntly, restraining a small sigh, "I am ninety per cent sure of it."

He hung his head in defeat, watching the large television screen which displayed all of the hidden cameras with a pair of cloudy grey eyes.

The entire situation had put Lawliet on edge all week; his mind had been elsewhere the entire morning. The thin detective had been so preoccupied with worrying that he hadn't even noticed he was drinking a cup of tea without sugar.

The entire building remained occupied with just three individuals; L, Light and Watari.

The silence was suffocating.

"What makes you so certain?" Light asked, watching his computer closely.

Displayed on the monitor was a satellite image of Tokyo, which displayed and followed each task force member's movements. With a single click the Yagami could watch the bustling streets through any CCTV camera of his choice, and he could also monitor phone calls, text messages and emails being sent and received in the area.

Not even the police force had such an efficient system for invading people's privacy.

"I have a strong feeling Yagami-kun."

"A strong feeling? Very reliable Ryuzaki," Light replied idly. "Can you read his mind too?"

"_I wish I could." _Lawliet thought, ebbing closer to the microphone.

"If I could Raito-kun, we would not be in this predicament."

* * *

'_You're shaking Aiber.' _A voice noted in his ear.

'_Well done genius,_' the blond thought in irritation. '_No wonder you're such a great detective. Is there anything you don't know?_'

'_If he knows that you're nervous, he will not hesitate to take advantage of this. I advise you to-'_

'_Ryuzaki! You could make an effort to sound a little more comforting!' _The voice of Light Yagami interrupted sharply.

'_He knows,_' the American thought dismally, '_I'm so dead..._'

Beyond smiled.

"You have a choice of course," he insisted firmly. "You can either give me what is rightfully mine and I'll let you keep your ability to walk, _or_, I can rob it from your cold and lifeless corpse."

Beyond's dark hazel eyes gazed firmly into the blonds blue eyes.

Aiber shifted uncomfortably as he was being intensely watched; it felt like the man was staring right through him and deep into his soul.

He resisted the urge to squirm.

Thierry had come to the conclusion that in fact, he didn't know 'Rue' at all. The young raven that he thought he knew just didn't appear to be the same person anymore; Beyond was probably feeling the same- lied to.

It had only been a few years, yet so much had changed in such a short space of time. Something had changed in the pale English man sat before him; it was as if something had snapped inside of him.

Aiber began to feel guilty.

Those fierce hazel eyes just weren't the same anymore- they lacked innocence and naivety.

Beyond wasn't a teenager anymore, he knew what he wanted, and he knew how to be firm. He wasn't easily intimidated or blinded anymore. There had once been a time when the raven hadn't even been able to look another man in the eyes; now he wasn't just looking, but _glaring _confidently.

His mere presence was almost suffocating.

"I'm sorry Rue, but I can't give you anything."

"I won't leave until I have it," B replied adamantly, his patience starting to wear thin. "That's a promise."

"I don't have it."

"Then you'll have to find a way."

The blond frowned, trying his hardest to try and sound as if he weren't remotely intimidated by the scrawny young man, who had to be at least half of his size. It was starting to get ridiculous, the power he had with just a single glare.

'_They're ready Aiber,' _a familiar voice said in his ear. _'Whenever you're ready; take your time.'_

Ryuzaki made it sound so easy with that dreary voice of his, he always sounded on the verge of falling asleep.

It should have been easy, but it wasn't.

He should have felt safe, but he didn't.

The American grasped his glass tightly and raised it to his lips, emptying its contents with a single gulp. It did nothing to relieve the nerves that continued to wreathe in the pit of his stomach, nor did it make him feel any more confident.

Taking a deep breath through his nose, Morello left his seat.

"I'm leaving," the blond said bluntly, ignoring the guilty feeling that hung over him like an ominous black cloud. "I already told you, I can't give you anything."

As he turned to leave, a hand grasped him firmly by the shoulder. He could feel the man standing close behind him, could picture him gazing sternly into the back of his head.

Aiber began to feel ill.

He didn't want to imagine what Beyond could possibly be thinking, and he certainly didn't want to think about how the man could mutilate his dead or living corpse. The scenario's were filling his head one by one- his cold body lying stiffly on the concrete floor, crimson blood cascading from his chest like a fountain and splattered messily on the street, dripping from the kerb in a steam of sickly red.

Would he kill him first?

Perhaps he would disembowel him whilst he was fully conscious, or carve into his flesh with a knife, carving his American flesh like a joint of tender beef. Maybe if he was lucky enough, Birthday would remove his limbs one by one and post them to L, or- he didn't want to think about it anymore. His imagination was beginning to scare him.

"You're sure that you don't want to change your mind?" Beyond asked, tightening his grip on the man's shoulder warningly.

The blond didn't utter a single word. He headed swiftly for the exit, weary of the fact that Beyond was following him, like a predator stalking its prey.

'_Deep breaths,' _he thought to himself nervously, releasing a breath that he hadn't even realised that he'd been holding. The air was warm; the large blond found himself beginning to tug at the tight collar of his crisp white shirt, perspiration dripping from his forehead.

The staircase seemed to be never ending. One step after the other and it almost seemed like he wasn't moving at all- his black polished shoes felt heavy on the thick carpet.

He began to wonder curiously if he was feeling the sluggish effects of the alcohol, until he remembered that he'd only finished a single glass. He couldn't drink much when he was nervous, because it made him feel sick. In the past, the blond had thought naively that a few shots could make him feel invincible. As it turns out, the only thing that he had managed to achieve was to make him completely smashed.

* * *

Retrieving the shrieking device from his pocket, he held it to his ear.

"Hello?"

'_Matsuda.'_

"Ryuzaki!" He responded with surprise, glancing down the empty backstreet wearily with a pair of curious dark eyes, a feeling of mild paranoia sweeping over him. "Is something wrong- wait. Why are you calling me? Can't you use the ear piece?"

'_I certainly could Matsuda, however I wouldn't want anyone to think that you are attempting to converse with yourself,'_ L replied dryly.

"I wouldn't worry about that," the raven said casually. "It's almost completely lifeless down here-"

'_I know.'_

The detective glanced at a small CCTV camera perched on the wall at the far end of the street and resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"I should have known," he muttered, leaning back against the cold brick wall with a defeated sigh.

He was beginning to regret his decision not to bring a coat. The wind was gradually picking up, the cold lashing mercilessly at his nose and cheeks, hair tousled carelessly- a black mop of hair hanging limply in his eyes.

He frowned in irritation.

"Is there anything you don't know?"

'_You'd be surprised.'_

He glanced briefly at his wrist watch, watching the hands move excruciatingly slow...

It wasn't fair. Time always seemed to linger during situations like _this_, when he was waiting for something, or someone. He glared at the device with disapproval- it was mocking him.

"Is there something that you wanted Ryuzaki? I should be going soon; they'll be here any minute now-"

'_It's nothing really. I just wanted to inform you that your flawless detective skills managed to get you spotted, which could mean that the success of our entire plan now rests on Beyond's gullibility. That is all. Goodbye Matsuda- I'll see you later.'_

The line went dead, and for a moment the raven headed detective lowered the phone from his ear and proceeded to stare at the screen blankly.

Glaring at the device in his hand, he flipped it shut with a click and placed it back in his pocket gloomily.

Sometimes, Matsuda wondered if he should have listen to his mother before making the reckless decision to join the police force. Perhaps he really should have become a banker like she had suggested.

Ryuzaki was just too blunt for his own good.

* * *

The familiar sensation of a buzzing mobile phone in his right trouser pocket pulled him from his dazed thoughts. Glancing at his silver wrist watch, he frowned.

That was the signal.

If all went according to plan, he had approximately one minute left of waiting- one more minute until it was _show time_.

Glancing up at the dull sky, Aizawa noted that the swollen clouds appeared to be suspiciously ominous looking. It looked as if it were going to rain.

The mild wind stung his cheeks with a viscous blow, its cold breath teasing the nape of his neck; he shivered, tugging at the sleeves of his long, grey coat.

It was almost funny that the current mood amongst the task force was somehow reflected in the solemn looking sky. Somehow, he felt that the preparation alone simply hadn't been enough. It had been months since any of them had apprehended anyone, let alone a convicted murderer. Being cooped up behind a desk for weeks at a time hadn't done his joints any good either.

He wondered idly if this is what it felt like to be an elderly man with arthritis.

The phone buzzed a second time- the last time.

His eyes scanned the crowd of tourists and Japanese citizens; amongst the crowd of people congregating at the narrow crossing, he could see a familiar figure gazing back at him.

Mogi.

The man nodded, and he gave a weak nod in return, burying his hands in his pockets wearily. He could feel the weight of the pistol in his coat pocket, the barrel pressed against his hip. He'd never grown accustomed to being armed, and probably never would. The extra weight in his pockets felt foreign to him, and speaking of foreigners, a head of extravagant blond hair caught his eye in the far distance.

The blond looked anxious, or at least that was what Aizawa's brain was informing him. Amongst his senses, his sight and mind didn't seem to be co-operating- he debated what to do.

He _had forgotten_ what he was supposed to do.

In a single moment of panic, his mind had gone blank, and a feeling of anxiety seized him when a hand grasped his shoulder without a word of warning-

"FUC-"

"It's me you idiot!" A familiar voice hissed urgently in his ear. "Don't make a scene. Just go in."

"In? Where?"

"The shop," Mogi replied bluntly, giving his dazed colleague a helpful shove in the direction of the doorway, leaving the cold high street and approaching a room of warm air, the heat seeping through their thick attire like running water.

The clear glass was obscured by a small rack of scarves and various other accessories. Aizawa glanced over his shoulder curiously, greeted by the sight of an array of bold colours from a dismal black, to neon pink.

His eyes narrowed.

Was that _jewellery_?

"Did you have to wear _that_ coat today?" Mogi asked in a low voice, eyeing the offending item in disgust. "We're supposed to be blending in. You look like a detective..."

"I am a- ow!" Aizawa hissed when the man elbowed him bluntly in the ribs, frowning. "Blending in? We're in a women's store, I don't remember this being part of the plan! Very low key, perhaps I should buy some earrings while we're here-"

"Excuse me-"

The detective jumped slightly in surprise, restraining a string of curses as he realised that it was in fact a friendly shop assistant innocently staring back at him.

"Would you like some help?" The assistant asked with a small smile, offering the two gentlemen a small basket, her ring clad fingers gleaming under the artificial lighting. She reminded Aizawa of Misa with her long blond hair framing her features, draped over her shoulders like silk. She looked young enough to be a high school student, her youthful eyes glittering amongst a row of thick lashes.

"No thank you, we were just-"

"Leaving."

* * *

"_Are you in position Matsuda?" _Soichiro asked.

"Yes Sir," Matsuda replied gloomily into his mobile phone. "Where did you say that the car was again?"

"_Just apprehend him please Matsuda."_

"Easier said than done," he muttered in response, closing the device shut with a click, placing it back in his trouser pocket. The raven wished that he could have tagged along with Misa, like a manager was supposed to do. She was probably having _fun_.

He enjoyed the days that he spent accompanying the blond from place to place, because he could forget about Ryuzaki and the investigation.

He sighed.

"_Are you in position?" _ A voice said in his ear with a familiar foreign accent, the dismal tone grating through Matsuda's eardrums like fine shards of glass. He didn't respond, and continued to listen carefully for the signal, trying to drown out the noise of heavy traffic surrounding him. Although it was an unusually quiet location in the large city, the noise of beeping cars and the heavy purr of the motors could be heard for miles.

Pressing his back to the cold wall behind him, he reached into the breast pocket of his thin jacket and almost recoiled at the icy sensation that seeped through his fingertips. He retrieved the item with an iron grip, grasping the cold metal firmly in his dominant right hand, squeezing it tightly as if his life depended on it.

The model was ridiculously small for his fingers, but he didn't care. It had saved his ass on more than one occasion, and for that he was incredibly thankful.

It was the first weapon that Matsuda had ever received when he'd joined the Japanese police force. The moment he'd first set his dark eyes on the darn thing he had absolutely loathed it, until about a week later when it had blocked the path of a ricocheted bullet from grazing his hip. That single moment had changed everything, and now, it almost like an extended limb to him.

The barrel still had a slight indentation from the impact- he'd been too stubborn to replace it, and his excuse was that it was lucky.

The raven headed detective wasn't superstitious, but he still believed that the gun possessed some lucky qualities, and he was adamant that he wouldn't part with it. Ryuzaki had insisted on giving the stubborn man a new one, or at least in the end he'd given him one anyway, demanding that the offending item was an absurd risk to Matsuda's health and safety. The man had merely muttered something in response saying that having a gun was a risk in itself, regardless if the thing was indented or not.

The new weapon was back at headquarters, lying abandoned and untouched.

His concentration was broken by the same voice, nagging irritably into his ear.

"_Are you ignoring me Matsuda?"_

"I'm trying to concentrate," he replied firmly. "I can't do that when you're talking in my ear!"

"_Sorry," _a sincere voice replied, this time much softer in tone. _"It won't happen again, will it Ryuzaki?"_

It was the voice of Light Yagami.

* * *

The teenager could feel his temples beginning to throb; he knew almost immediately that he was feeling the ominous brewing of a headache. The dull ache steadily growing across his forehead confirmed it- it was _his_ fault, the Yagami thought bitterly.

The tight cuff clasped to his wrist began to feel heavy against his skin, the long links of the chain tugging heftily; each time he thought about the offending item, the weight of the sturdy metal seemed to come suddenly crashing down upon him like a tonne of bricks. He'd grown accustomed to the extra weight, so for a majority of the time he hardly realised that it was there.

Unfortunately it simply wasn't enough for the Yagami to simply be with L at all times; for some reason, chaining him like a criminal was necessary.

The brunette didn't care so much that he was a Kira suspect, he could live with that.

What he did mind was the fact that Ryuzaki had felt the need to chain him and not already convicted serial killer- that hurt.

The detective was currently crouched on the far edge of his seat with a cloudy eyed stare, riddled with nerves that shook each and every fibre of his skinny frame. As if the man wasn't white enough already, in his current state he could have easily been mistaken for a ghost, or perhaps a zombie with the way his large grey eyes protruded from his skull like foreign objects; dark rings of exhaustion stained his smooth skin.

Light watched as Lawliet ran a bony hand through the dark fibres of his black hair, a striking contrast against his porcelain skin. L watched the computer monitor with a sullen gaze of defeat and yet a small flicker of hope in those dark orbs, watching the CCTV camera's almost obsessively, absorbing each and every movement that occurred. His chest fell with a sigh of premature defeat, a frown forming.

For a moment, Light Yagami almost felt sorry for him- _almost_.

Light's gaze met briefly with L's, a feeling of irritation swept through him, only managing to aggravate his throbbing temples.

"You know," the teenager said through gritted teeth, his jaw aching moderately in protest, "I should probably go ahead and lecture you about how childish you're being right now, because you're a grown man- but I won't, because we don't have time for this. Just pull yourself together would you Ryuzaki?"

"Sorry Raito-kun." the detective replied quietly. He watched the large monitor with scrutiny, a depressed sigh escaping from his thin lips.

Lawliet almost jumped when a warm hand clasped him firmly by the shoulder, catching him completely off guard. It was in fact Light, who appeared to be offering him a small gesture of comfort, or perhaps it was sympathy. It was always difficult to tell.

The Yagami was watching him through a pair of warm brown eyes, removing his hand slowly as the detective averted his attention towards him, craning his neck from the hunched position that he had acquired on the spindly chair.

The teenager opened his mouth to speak-

"Raito-kun. We should be watching the-"

"I know," he replied languidly. "But that's just it Ryuzaki. That's all we can do- watch. No matter what happens, we can't do much from here, right?"

The raven didn't respond verbally, but simply nodded slightly, savouring the honesty in the teenagers words. He could hardly believe that the entire case had been turned into such a mess, spiralling out of control. It wasn't supposed to be like this. When had it all gone so wrong?

"I should apologise to them later."

"Don't worry about it Ryuzaki. We're all just-"

"Stressed? Tired?" L finished for him almost inaudibly as he gazed absently at the brightly lit screen with a pair of soft grey eyes.

Although the assertiveness had subsided from his monotone voice, the tension remained in his stiff posture. Ryuzaki could feel the tightness in the muscles of his back, tugging and twisting with each movement that he made, no matter how large or minor. After many years of adapting to his crouched position in the chair, his poor back had grown accustomed to it. It had been a miracle in itself that Lawliet hadn't suffered from any long term spinal issues- in fact, he couldn't recall a single day in which he'd felt any form of discomfort, until now.

The tenderness had first occurred at the back of his neck and between his shoulder blades. When he'd crawled out of bed that same morning, the detective had quickly assumed that perhaps he'd slept awkwardly, or at least for the few hours in which he had spent submerged in a light slumber.

Now, he wasn't so sure.

L's peculiar sleeping habits remained much of a mystery throughout headquarters. The taskforce members often wondered curiously if the man ever slept at all- which of course he did, despite the fact that it was never for too long.

Sometimes it would be minutes, other times even a few hours. The insomniac wasn't too fond of slumber and always did his best to refrain from falling deep into its clutches. His efforts of course had consequences. The dark circles that hung beneath his eyes did nothing to enhance his contrasted appearance.

With a dark head of hair and a strikingly pale complexion, Ryuzaki could almost have been mistaken for a wandering ghost. With an impressive height and a thin physique, he should have had nothing to grumble about; however when Lawliet caught sight of his reflection in the daunting mirror, he found himself grimacing at the tired looking figure glancing back at him. At his age, Lawliet was meant to be looking youthful, his skin glowing radiantly and eyes brimming with vitality, a healthy looking being. Instead, he saw an ageing man- a tired man.

It was fair to say that no one could accuse Ryuzaki of being even remotely vain. They probably assumed that he didn't care in the slightest. It couldn't have been further from the truth.

When L looked at Beyond and his jet black hair and young English pale skin, he saw the man that he wished was _his_ reflection. Birthday was just a few years younger that Lawliet, and yet the minor age difference between them almost seemed to be considerably more. Perhaps if it hadn't been for the dark circles beneath his eyes, they could have almost been mistaken for brothers.

What the detective really wanted to know was how B managed to smile so nicely with the sickening knowledge of what he'd done. Did he sleep peacefully through the night without being plagued by grim, regretful memories or grotesque nightmares? Ryuzaki wondered curiously what Beyond often thought about as he drifted off to sleep at night; he himself of course was rather naive when it came to the tiresome topic of slumber. On the rare occasion that Lawliet did surrender to his drooping eyelids, he didn't see it coming; it ceased him savagely like an enormous lion embracing a deer with its powerful iron jaws.

He could imagine the young man closing his dark hazel eyes, gradually succumbing to sleep with his dark hair sprawled messily across the pillow, a satisfied smirk across his lips as he pictured vividly his victims and their drained, lifeless faces- reminiscing. Remembering how it felt to feel the warm splatter of blood on his pale hands, and how nicely the flesh had been wounded- pierced like a knife sinking through hot butter. Lawliet could feel his toes curl as he realised in mild despair, that somewhere deep down within his heart he felt somewhat an ounce of sympathy for Beyond and his twisted smile.

It sickened him.

* * *

Matsuda glanced down at the silver pistol he held firmly in both hands, his dark eyes watching the barrel quivering ever so slightly.

'Get a grip man!' He urged himself scoldingly. If he hadn't been so damn nervous, he would have laughed. At that precise moment however, he didn't feel like laughing in the slightest.

Deep down, Matsuda almost felt as if he needed to prove something, not only to his stressed colleagues, but to himself. He knew that he was capable of the job. He wanted to be a good detective, but sometimes he became submerged in doubt, and perhaps slight fear. For the past few years the detective had been fighting a personal and rather internal battle with his nerves. Grasping the cold metal in his hands, his mind screamed yes but his trembling fingers said no. He refused to succumb to cowardice no matter how much his conscience urged him to admit defeat and hide in the shadows.

His mother had hardly been supportive of his ambitious career choice, and frequently called to lecture, or as she would say, 'converse' with him. Most days thankfully, he was either far too busy to stay in contact or tended to use the wonderful invention known as answer phone. He didn't make a habit of ignoring his relatives, at least not most of them. No matter how good her intentions were, she was damaging to his self esteem. When Matsuda had first announced his intentions of joining the police force, his mother had admittedly taken the news slightly better than he had expected- without swearing.

'You've been watching too many of those American movies,' she'd insisted. 'We all know that you're far too soft. Why don't you talk to your cousin Shinji, he's got a lovely job in a publishing-' from that point on, he'd stopped listening altogether. Of course her concerns were appreciated, but unfortunately, encouraging they were not.

He couldn't help but feel that his colleagues tended to underestimate him at times, partly the reason why he'd volunteered or rather stubbornly insisted in taking one of the leading roles in Beyond's capture. He was determined that he could do this, despite the uncertainty residing within him. Matsuda had noticed that Soichiro and L happened to be particularly feisty that day, which he hoped was due to stress, anxiety or exhaustion; their sharp tones had done little to soothe his fraying nerves. The detective was feeling certain that the two men hadn't intentionally meant to sound doubtful of him, but he couldn't help but gain the impression that they had low expectations of him.

Besides his usual job of trying to catch Kira with the rest of the taskforce, during the past few weeks it had felt like he'd been left responsible for completing the less important work, which included watching Misa. He thought that the skinny blond was nice enough, however it was becoming rather tiring following her from place to place like an obedient dog wondering after its owner.

He could have sworn that he'd heard something. He strained his ears, holding his breath-

"Stupid prick! Don't ignore me when I'm talking to you!"

"You never demanded money from me before-"

"Hard to demand anything from a man that just fucks off, leaves you in the middle to Los Angeles and disappears off of the face of the fucking earth you-"

Matsuda froze, struggling to hear anything besides the blood ringing in his ears. He was hardly fluent in English, however he could recognise those voices from anywhere.

Suddenly, the raven became aware of a familiar dark haired figure watching, accompanied by a tall and worried looking blond. During the short silence, he could feel the burning gaze pierce his flesh, accompanied by the sensation of his heart pounding vigorously against his ribs.

There was no room for mistakes.

'_Don't think,_ _just go!_'

* * *

Beyond was transfixed, cautiously watching the barrel of the gun with a pair of dark eyes. Despite the circumstances, the alarm smothering him thankfully remained absent from his features.

The raven did not possess a particular fear of guns; his time in America remained responsible for that. His brief exposure to prison had relieved any remaining anxiety he'd had for any type of firearm. The guards had threatened on countless occasions to lodge a bullet in his brain, which of course had never happened, nor had it had any kind of effect on Beyond. Their threats had been useless, because unlike the other inmates, Birthday had never had any privileges to be confiscated from him, unless the heater cable had count.

Not long after his release from hospital and admittance to the Los Angeles prison, he'd been visited by a doctor who'd come to see how his burns were healing. When asked how he was feeling both physically and mentally, the sarcastic raven promptly ignored the question and decided to comment on how the heater cable running along the skirting board was just the right size to coil around his scarred neck.

Returning from the showers the following day, he hadn't at all been surprised to learn that it was gone.

Watching Matsuda's finger resting on the trigger, Beyond knew that this was an entirely different ball game now.

Despite the slight nervous tremor in his hands, the detective wouldn't hesitate to shoot him; with intent to injure or kill it didn't matter. For a brief moment between the three of them, it almost seemed like the world had stopped. Each man was waiting for someone to be the first to respond, trying to ignore the real severity of the situation.

Beyond averted his attention from the firearm, his piercing hazel stare inching higher until their eyes met in a silent and most daunting confrontation.

'_He who moves first, wins.'_

Matsuda felt his chest tighten as he watched Beyond's nervous frown grow into a feral grin, his dark eyes brimming with confidence- the eyes of a killer.

"Matsuda," the raven called softly, in a teasing whisper. "You left the safety on my dear."

Before he could think, the detective glanced down at the device in his hands, only to find that the safety was in fact not on. He had realised that it was in fact far too late when a pair of cold hands seized his fingers without warning.

Beyond squeezed tightly and calmly, using as much strength as he could master to try and wrestle the gun from Matsuda, the barrel jerking dangerously back and forth between them.

Despite his skinny frame, Birthday was stronger than he looked; however, Matsuda wasn't going down without a fight. Resisting the urge to wince, he could feel his fingers beginning to throb, protesting against the pressure as Beyond tried ruthlessly to _break_ them.

There was a sickening crack.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: ** Death Note belongs to Tsugami Ohba and Takeshi Obata, and _Death Note_ Another _Note: The Los Angeles_ BB _Murder Cases_belongs to Nisio Isin.

**Warnings: **Language.

**/ AN: **I almost posted an author's note warning readers that there would be a chance that I might not be able to update for a while, but I quickly decided against it because I don't like posting authors notes without any content.

Whilst I am flattered people wanted me to update, other things took priority. Whilst I can't guarantee when the next update will be, be assured that I haven't forgotten about this story. ** /**

* * *

Suddenly, Matsuda became aware of a searing pain in his right hand; an involuntary hiss of pain escaped from his thin lips as he felt something crunchbeneath his skin with a sickening crack.

His right hand was throbbing angrily, flaring in discomfort as Beyond began to increase the pressure on three of his fingers vindictively, eyes glittering in immense satisfaction as Matsuda released an instinctive cry of discomfort.

He could see Beyond _smiling_.

He sensed almost immediately that something wasn't right, but was rather hesitant to look. He didn't particularly want to see anything- Matsuda wasn't squeamish, however he hardly wanted to look at his own dislocated fingers. He didn't need a doctors diagnosis for this one- he'd felt the snap, and it had hurt.

Birthday watched eagerly in sickening anticipation as the detective forced himself to glance down at his dislocated digits, averting his gaze almost as soon as he'd cast a reluctant glance down at the offending injury itself. He could almost feel the man squirm beneath his grasp, like an ant beneath a magnifying glass, wreathing in pain.

"Squeamish?" He asked, unable to conceal his appalling delight with a contented grin.

"Fuck you," Matsuda replied with a pained hiss, gritting his teeth in restraint. To his credit, despite his unfortunate circumstance he hadn't let go; for this reason, he was rather satisfied with himself. He could have almost smiled at the blatant disappointment on the man's face. If Beyond had thought that the detective was going to be easily defeated, he was in fact sorely mistaken.

Birthday fought hard against the detectives vice grip, the barrel of the gun jerking dangerously between them whilst Aiber stood and watched languidly, as if he were somehow detached from the scenario, like watching a mere television drama. Beyond would have perhaps rolled his eyes had he not been so preoccupied. It was just like the blond to distance himself from anything that didn't concern cash.

It angered him, and unfortunately Matsuda was on the receiving end of his immense frustration.

Birthday frowned; it was becoming boring very quickly how Matsuda was refusing to let go.

Although the Englishman wasn't usually concerned with morals, he'd tried to be _reasonable_, because Matsuda appeared to be a reasonable kind of guy. He'd wrongly mistaken him as a cowardly individual, and it was becoming clear to B that this guy wasn't perhaps as weak as he'd originally thought.

He was stubborn and persistent, like a pesky disease that refused to be defeated.

"Let go," Beyond warned, "or suffer the consequences."

"So you can blow my brains out? I don't think so," Matsuda replied with a pained smile. "Unfortunately for you, I'm smarter than I look."

"Don't flatter yourself sweetheart. There'd be no fun in putting a bullet through that empty skull of yours-"

Before B could finish insulting the man, he took an unexpected blow to the back of his legs, a stinging sensation that almost paralysed him from the waist down with a crippling burn. The electrifying crack was unmistakable. After a second zap Beyond found himself losing control of his limbs; he knew that he wouldn't be able to avoid falling gracelessly to the hard pavement- it was inevitable, however the raven knew he'd come too far to succumb to the undesirable outcome of failure.

He did know what he was fighting for, but it didn't matter.

He had nowhere to go, but it didn't suppress his longing for success.

Anything had to be better than the dull white wash walls of a cold cell, or the beady grey eyes of L Lawliet watching his every breath with curiosity, analysing each and every movement he made as if it had some kind of significance.

As Birthday's legs began to buckle beneath him, he knew that he had only one chance. This single moment could result in either failure or success. In a world that seemed to be an entirely foreign place to him, he knew that there was only one thing for it- surrender to the loneliness that was poisoning him.

As a young boy, he'd always been aware that he was different from the other children at the orphanage, opting to sit alone rather than join in with the others and their stupid games. Despite Roger's efforts to get him to socialise, he'd always refused to participate in any kind of social or bonding activity. From this age, he'd known instinctively that he was different. These eyes of his were nothing but a constant reminder that he could never escape.

He'd shut everyone out from the start.

No one would ever understand; the authorities, L, the taskforce- they were all proof of that. His life now almost seemed destined to be a game of chase, Beyond against the rest of the world.

Losing his grip on the gun, Beyond's feelings of dismal despair soon ceased, despite the seemingly meek situation. He couldn't help but display a small smile as he caught a glimpse of the confused expression on Matsuda's face. No doubt the detective was probably wondering what on earth he had to smile about. Unfortunately, he was destined to find out.

Mastering as much strength as he could, Beyond fought hard against the crippling effects of pain and gravity, managing to swing his right leg as he edged closer to the cold ground, falling.

The hard shoe collided with Matsuda and his injured hand; he'd tried hard until now to suppress any form of yelp, however as the crippling pain rippled through his arm, Matsusda's body betrayed him, a pained yell escaping his dry lips.

The gun landed a short distance away on the pavement with a metallic clatter, the detective sinking to the ground, kneeling in agony as he clutched his throbbing right hand.

"Matsuda!" Aiber called in concern. "Are you-"

"Of course I'm not ok! He broke my hand you-"

"FUCKER!" Beyond replied, interrupting Matsuda. Birthday could feel his calves throb with what seemed like _agony_. His muscles were on _fire_, burning, protesting and twitching involuntarily, as if they belonged to someone else. Although the initial wave of pain had subsided, the raven could no longer ignore the angry flare of discomfort crawling up his legs and the back of his skinny thighs like sharp claws ripping mercilessly into his pale flesh.

If looks could kill, Aiber would have been long dead.

The blond stood a short distance from the pair, a nervous disposition about him and a small device in his right hand that he held onto tightly, his knuckles a shade of hot white. Although he'd never seen one in person before, Birthday didn't have to ask what it was.

The bastard had _tazered_ him.

"Give up," the American said in a low voice, watching Beyond squirm on the pavement with a pair of frank blue eyes. "You can't run forever."

'I can try,' the raven thought determinedly, peeling himself pathetically from the pavement steadily with a shaky hand.

"By the time you can stand, the others will already be here- any minute now."

"A minute's all I need to wrap your intestines around your neck-"

"My watch!" Matsuda cried accusingly. Had he not been nursing his poor fingers, he would have perhaps pointed to the criminals exposed wrist, and the fancy device that currently occupied it. For weeks he'd been searching endlessly for the item after leaving it somewhere in the office. As it turned out, he hadn't misplaced it after all. It had been stolen.

"Want it back?" Beyond retorted. "Come and get it, I _dare_ you."

The detective glared angrily into Birthdays flaring hazel eyes, almost wishing that he could immobilise the man with a single glance. If his hand wasn't broken, he would have perhaps used it to throttle the life out of the Englishman in uncontrollable rage, until he was no longer in any condition to escape. Unfortunately, he was in no position to be throttling anyone. Although thankfully Matsuda's injuries hadn't caused him to bleed, he couldn't help but feel as if his stomach had been tied into a knot whilst thinking about the unnatural position of his thumb and index finger- he couldn't summon the courage to look a second time.

"I hope you rot in hell," he hissed heatedly, releasing a breath he hadn't even realised he'd been holding.

"We'll soon see about that," Beyond replied sourly.

Before either Matsuda or Aiber could comprehend the situation, B unexpectedly sprang unsteadily to his feet, fighting hard against his aching limbs as he lunged for the abandoned weapon hopefully. Hurling himself across the cold pavement in what could have only been severe desperation and mild stupidity, the raven haired Englishman made an unexpected and reckless dive after hearing the ominous sound of an electrifying crack.

Although Matsuda had been quick to move, he'd already known that his efforts were a fraction too late. His suspicion was proven correct as Beyond fell once again to the floor in a graceless heap, his legs convulsing in agony.

If it hadn't been for the tenderness in his limbs, the raven would have perhaps displayed a genuine smile. It seemed to him that suddenly, the situation wasn't perhaps as dismal as it had once appeared to be. Grasping the metal tightly in his right hand, he twisted his torso almost instinctively and aimed- it occurred to him that he'd never used a firearm before, not that it mattered he supposed. All he had to do was aim, prepare for the impact, and fire.

How hard could it be?

The American, although keeping his distance, tried boldly to apprehend the raven haired individual again; aiming for his right hand, he prepared to watch Birthday recoil in pain. As a crackle emerged from the device in his hand, the sound was soon concealed by a sharp bang.

The tazer hit the floor with a clatter- the blond released a pained cry of agony, and Beyond could feel his arm recoil from the impact.

"You bastard!"

"Took the words right out of my mouth," Beyond spat; rising wobbly to his feet, he kept the barrel raised, moving it back and forth between the Japanese detective and the blond American. Cautiously, he began to retreat slowly, taking several unsteady paces backwards, grimacing as his muscles continued to ache resentfully, stinging with each step.

"Shit," Aiber said in realisation, clutching his bloody arm in pain as the blood began to trail across his tanned skin, dripping from his ring clad fingers. Clasping a hand over the wound tightly, he visibly winced as it began to throb.

"You're supposed to keep it elevated," Matsuda advised him.

"Won't do me any good when he blows my head off though will it?" The blond replied gloomily.

"Keep your mouth shut before you give me an idea," Beyond said heatedly, admiring his handy work with a sense of twisted pleasure. He resisted the urge to frown, disappointed with Matsuda's 'lucky' gun. The bullet had penetrated the Americans skin just too cleanly for his personal liking. He'd always preferred a much more 'hands on' approach. Witnessing the blond bleed just didn't have the same effect as Matsuda's hand had done, the way in which he'd felt the crack beneath his very own fingers.

He enjoyed getting his hands dirty.

From where he was standing, he couldn't fight against a struggling victim as they thrashed desperately beneath his grasp, nor feel the warm spray of blood against his cheek. It just wasn't the same. How long had it been since he'd last been able to relish in the pleasant sensation of being covered in a familiar warm, crimson mess?

"What are you waiting for?" The blond asked dismally. "You've been waiting for this- to make me pay for what I did. What's with the hesitation?"

Matsuda muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'coward', just audible enough for Morello to hear. Meanwhile, Beyond Birthday averted his gaze to the mass of numbers above Aiber's head, watching them move as if they were being carried by the calm tide of the ocean.

The numbers hadn't changed.

Glancing from Aiber's to Matsuda's, he said simply, "It's not- never mind."

'_Trust me,_' he thought to himself with a defeated sigh, '_I'd like to do nothing more than decapitate you._' He could only imagine the possibilities; however, his attitude still hadn't changed. Unlike the two men in front of him, Quarter Queen, Backyard Bottomslash and Believe Bridesmaid had been destined to die. Beyond had never been one to follow the rules; however this was one thing that had never altered. As much as he would have loved to carve the man's flesh like a joint of tender beef- he just couldn't.

Keeping the gun raised in front of him, Birthday glanced at the remainder of the empty alley behind him cautiously. He wondered if 'the others' were hiding, however soon decided against the idea. They would have apprehended him by now.

It was time for him to make an exit, before it was too late.

Somehow it was difficult for him to grasp the fact that he'd probably never see Morello again. It just wasn't the same despising someone you never saw. Beyond was no good at saying his goodbyes; he'd always avoided them.

It seemed like years ago since he'd run away from the orphanage, disappearing into the depths of the cold night without leaving so much as a note behind him.

Although he'd despised the orphanage with every fibre of his body during his stay, he'd always remember the night he'd left, the night which had changed the course of his life forever. The place held mainly negative memories, the day A died, the day he'd arrived, and all the damn hours he'd been forced to commit to expanding his intelligence in order to be a successful candidate for the next L. It had been a hateful affair since he'd arrived, and still to that day he loathed the place and its selfish aims with passion. When he'd first discovered that Watari was in fact the 'great' Whammy himself, it had taken every inch of his restraint to prevent himself from throttling the elderly man.

Throughout his life he'd never liked being told what to do, and so it had seemed he'd been destined to rebel from the start.

Birthday watched both of the injured figures carefully as he began to retreat on his unsteady legs, gritting his teeth in mild discomfort as he forced himself to use his protesting limbs. There was a slight feral glare in his dark hazel eyes as he proceeded to watch the pair attentively. He could feel their gazes upon him, burning into his pale flesh like a brand- he could only imagine what they were thinking.

Judging by the hateful glare being emitted from Matsuda, Beyond knew quite instinctively that the man would probably not be satisfied until he was burned at the stake ruthlessly, the familiar feeling of hot flames embracing his scarred skin with unbearable intensity; the thought alone was enough to make his toes curl. The raven haired Englishman had already decided that he'd avoid burning himself to death in the future. He had of course expected it to hurt, however what he hadn't expected was surviving the experience. If he'd known in advance that he'd have to recover in a hospital bed in agony for weeks, writhing in discomfort as the nurse tended to his sore wounds, he would have chosen a different method completely.

Ryuzaki must have told them about the Los Angeles Murder Case- B wondered, how had Light Yagami taken the news? It must have been wonderful for the Yagami to learn that he'd been cuffed to L as a suspect whilst a convicted killer had been wondering freely around headquarters. He wished that he'd been able to see the expression on the poor teenager's face. it would have been quite a picture.

"As much as I'd love to stay and chat, I better get going," Birthday said, glancing wearily over his shoulder. "Thanks for the watch," he added, earning himself a scowl from Matsuda, "and you-" he continued icily in English, averting his gaze to the bleeding blond, "I hope it scars."

* * *

"Where the hell have you been?" Matsuda yelled angrily to the pair of exhausted looking detectives, slumped against the hard wall in defeat. Removing the hand supporting his broken bones, he ran it through his dishevelled black hair, dismissing the hand Aizawa tried to rest on his shoulder in concern.

"We-"

"Save your excuses for later! He went that way-"

"What about-"

"JUST GO!"

As Mogi and Aizawa disappeared, Matsuda commanded the blond to sit, dropping to his knees as Aiber continued to put pressure on the wound. The American winced with a pained hiss.

"How are you feeling?" Matsuda asked, using his only mobile hand to loosen the black tie from his neck. "Dizzy or light headed?"

"No- I think I'll live," he said meekly, observing the blood that continued to seep through his ring clad fingers.

His shirt was ruined, the entire sleeve dampened with crimson, seeping through the fabric like water as it clung to his warm skin. Where he'd kept his hand elevated against his chest, a bloody stain had formed beneath his collar bone, making it apparently seem as if a bullet had lodged itself there cosily.

The detective glanced at his tie and then to his broken fingers with a frustrated frown. He took the blonds hand and pried it gently from its elevated position. Somehow, he needed to keep the wound bound and put pressure on it. With both of them limited to the use of one hand, Matsuda knew that it wasn't going to be easy.

Releasing Morello's hand, he grabbed hold of the tie in his lap and draped the black strip of fabric over the gaping wound with a wince, watching as it continued to bleed profoundly, crimson sluggishly seeping from the broken skin.

"We need to tie this, somehow..."

'_Matsuda,_' a familiar voice said in his ear. '_There is no-_'

Without a single ounce of hesitation, Matsuda removed the device from his ear, depositing it in his pocket.

Aiber would have perhaps smiled if he weren't in pain. Almost immediately after Matsuda had removed his ear piece, the blond became aware of a voice in his ear.

"Ryuzaki says he'd appreciate it if you didn't ignore him."

"Whatever. Hold the other end would you? We need to get out of here; someone would have heard that..."

A short while later, both injured companions found themselves slumped in the back seats of a black car, a stone faced Soichiro Yagami occupying the wheel as the hum of the engine remained the only sound present in the dismal vehicle. Exhaustion lingered in the air alongside the presence of a painfully awkward silence, which had occurred as the result of heated bickering amongst an irritated Matsuda and Soichiro.

Upon being informed that their injuries were to be treated by a doctor companion of Ryuzaki's, Matsuda's unpleasant mood had _surged _considerably. The raven haired detected has rightfully pointed out that the hospital was much closer than headquarters, and it would be unwise to make a bleeding Aiber wait longer than necessary to be treated, particularly because the true extent of his injuries remained difficult to identify because the bullet had lodged itself deep within his skin.

Soichiro had responded almost mechanically that there were no questioning Ryuzaki's orders. A private doctor had been called because L could trust that the man would not ask any questions, unlike a hospital in which a bullet wound would cause alarm and suspicion.

With a final defeated sigh of frustration, Matsuda had made an internal note to himself to have a chat with Ryuzaki about his priorities- it seemed that secrecy was one of the most valued.

Slumped back in his seat with his head craned towards the window, Matsuda did much thinking as he watched the scenery pass by with a distant and cloudy eyed gaze. Surprisingly, Matsuda found that even then, he hadn't been put off of continuing the investigation. He knew that these feelings of frustration and minor depression were not haunting him alone, but the entire task force too.

They'd been through too much to give up.

Although at times it felt as if they were running endlessly in circles, even the smallest breakthroughs were enough to spark motivation, although at times it seemed as if Ryuzaki was often the individual in most need of motivating. Even the man with all kinds of resources at his fingertips was not immune from depression, something that not even his wealth could protect him from.

"You really pissed him off didn't you?" Matsuda muttered quietly to the blond beside him, breaking the aggravating silence at last.

"Something like that," the American replied, seemingly somewhat reluctant to elaborate.

"Money related, isn't it?"

Morello responded with a reluctant nod, keeping his blue eyed gaze fixed firmly on the passing scenery on the city in an attempt to conceal the slightly pale and guilty expression beginning to form on his face. Catching a glimpse in the reflection of the clear car window, he could see the dark haired detective watching him curiously with an exhausted, brown eyes stare.

The blond couldn't help but wonder if all detectives were the same- it seemed apparent to him that they never really switched off, as if they were always looking for something. Even the most minimal of details were accounted for, no matter how insignificant they seemed.

He'd watched from a distance in the main office of headquarters, observing idly as the infamous L sat hunched in his chair, gazing intensely at the computer screen with a pair of tired grey eyes, going over the same material time and time again. Everything was investigated, no matter how trivial it seemed.

Upon commencing research on the staff working for the Yotsuba Corporation, L had insisted on gaining as much information as possible, regardless whether it was legally or morally wrong. He'd been more than thorough with his research, long surpassing the standard expectations and finding out information such as the routes that various employees took to work, as well as the time that they arrived and departed from the building...

It was creepy to Morello, as well as slightly amusing. He just couldn't see how L was looking to fine Kira by observing the Yotsuba staff boarding the train to work, nor did he see how taking note of their punctuality would help either...

He could still feel the watchful gaze of Matsuda burning into the back of his skull like a brand.

"So, did you con him too?"

"He was drunk," the blond replied simply, tempted to smile at the memory of a drunken and stumbling Englishman attempting to climb on the tables of a busy casino.

"And you took advantage," Matsuda muttered accusingly, still nursing a battered hand in his lap.

"I'm surprised he remembered his own name after that night," the American said languidly, leaning against the cold window. "He had more alcohol than blood in his system..."

Although he was tempted to press the man for answers, Matsuda knew he'd never be able to understand or comprehend the situation. Fighting crime was his job. He was always exposed to criminals, yet no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't get into their heads, no matter how much he wanted to understand.

It was harder to screw the system and rebel against society, so why he wondered did some go to so much effort in order to break the rules and lure the police into a wild goose chase? Perhaps it was boredom, or even satisfaction. He'd never truly know.

Perhaps it was their way of feeling significant and in control, pulling the strings whilst revelling in the sequence of events to follow.

"He doesn't care about the money," the American said simply, continuing to keep pressure on the wound with his ring clad and bloodied fingers.

The detective raised an eyebrow questioningly, despite the fact that the blond's attention remained seized by the passing scenery as Soichiro attempted to speed through the mass of noisy traffic without attracting too much attention.

"I've been doing this for years," the blond confessed, "and he's the only one that ever managed to make me feel even slightly guilty..."

'So you do have a conscience in their somewhere,' the detective thought, slouching in his seat as he restrained an exhausted groan, various aching muscles making themselves known in protest.

"Has he always been... like that?"

"When I first met him, he was as stiff as a board. Taught him to loosen up a bit, and have fun..."

"By robbing him? Yeah, that's _real_ fun."

"I didn't do that straight away..."

* * *

_He'd been sat at the back of the bar for some time, watching the mysterious dark haired man from afar, observing him curiously. From the moment that the individual had strolled through the door, the guy had stuck out like a sore thumb, dressed in black jeans, a white t-shirt and a leather jacket, a shark tooth necklace hanging from his neck on a dark cord- it was obvious to the blond that the guy definitely wasn't a local here._

_He looked like a punk from one the area's motorcycle gangs._

_The familiar sound of clattering coins drifted across the room from an open door- No one came here for drinks, they came to gamble, but the guy didn't look like a gambling type to him. In fact, he looked slightly lost, studying his empty glass idly, tracing the smooth texture with a single finger, both hands partially concealed by fingerless leather gloves._

'_Definitely a punk,' the American thought dryly, extinguishing his cigarette in the provided ashtray beside him, languidly glancing back to the mysterious individual. Narrowing his brilliant blue eyes curiously, he caught sight of a backpack resting in the side beside the stranger, the material looking fairly worn and tattered._

_Morello took pride in his ability to read people._

_Although he couldn't guarantee that the young man was any kind of troublesome punk, he knew for a fact that he was almost certainly a tourist or traveller of some kind. He didn't recognise the logo on the bag, assuming that perhaps the reason that he looked so lost was because he was in fact a foreigner._

_Foreigners were usually easy targets, but judging by the guy's defensive and unapproachable body language, something told the blond that this man wouldn't be easy to con at all._

_He liked a challenge. _

* * *

_A considerable number of days later_

"I covered every inch of that building," Wedy snapped irritation, removing her dark sunglasses, heels clicking against the floor as she approached Aizawa, prodding an accusing manicured fingernail into his chest to emphasise her frustration, "and I can assure you that each and every device is thoroughly concealed!"

"But it just doesn't make any sense," Aizawa retorted heatedly, nursing a warm mug of coffee in his right hand. "We were so sure! All of the evidence points to Yotsuba!"

"We've been watching them for weeks," Soichiro stated with a frown, glancing at his wristwatch briefly. "We checked everything, every single recording, but we have nothing to convict them with, absolutely nothing."

"But the deaths _have_ to be linked to Yotsuba, it has to be one of them-"

"We will continue to observe them, but we must continue to look for other possibilities of where Kira might be," L said in his monotone voice, a thumb raised to his lips as he glanced longingly at the slice of cake perched on the desk in front of him. Reaching for a long silver fork, he began to prod the rich sponge, taking a generous amount and raising it to his lips.

"I have only one theory," he said, taking a small bite and savouring the pleasant tang of sweetness ravishing his taste buds. The detective made a mental note to tell Watari to visit this particular bakery more frequently. "And that is-"

"Kira's power can be passed from person to person," Light finished, his soft brown eyes narrowing as he became submerged deep in thought. "You mentioned it before, how Kira could have passed that power on to me and removed it, but- we don't know what kind of 'power' we're looking for Ryuzaki."

"That is correct Raito-kun, however we shouldn't dismiss the possibility."

"There hasn't been any deaths for weeks," Aizawa said with a small sigh, placing his now empty mug on the desk beside him with an audible knock. "How are we supposed to continue the investigation without any new evidence?"

"Kira's 'power' hasn't been passed onto the next person yet," Light said firmly, furrowing his brow, deep in thought. "That's what you're thinking, isn't it Ryuzaki?"

* * *

"Misa!" Mogi scolded, quickening his pace to keep up with the energetic blond. "I told you, you have to stay where I can see you!"

The blond model wondered around the commercial set, mesmerised by the impressive and expensive equipment on display. Misa pouted, turning to Mogi with a frown of disapproval.

"I miss Matsuda," she said, folding her arms with a stubborn huff.

Biting his lip in restraint, Mogi withheld the sarcastic response that threatened to spill from his lips; he wished that he could be back at headquarters, sulking at the prospect of another dead end along with his down hearted colleagues.

Suddenly, he remembered why he'd never volunteered to watch Misa before- because she was... difficult.

Despite her career as a model, Misa was really just a troublesome teenager, a whiny blond who like many other Japanese girls had an obsession with a guy. Unlike most teens, Amane wasn't crushing over a handsome male vocalist of a Japanese pop group, nor did she idolise any famous actors or television presenters. The unfortunate victim of Misa's infatuation was Light Yagami, and Mogi sympathised with him.

It couldn't be easy having to cope with the frequent pestering- or flirting as Misa liked to call it.

Mogi could certainly see why Misa had fallen for Light. Soichiro Yagami's son was the true personification of perfection, with a pair of luring brown eyes, a flawless complexion, perfect nose, and slender jaw line- and then there was the head of brown hair that never appeared to rebel, not a strand out of place, framing his features nicely; it was sometimes said that one could simply not possess beauty and be capable of intelligence, however Light wasn't just a pretty face. He had an impressive intelligence to accompany his good looks.

Mogi could admit that it would be too easy for a girl to fall for Light, however he wondered if the blond appreciated the brunettes impressive skills- he quickly dismissed the thought with an amused smirk.

"What's so funny?" Misa demanded, hands on her hips to emphasise her frustration. She watched the detective through a pair of narrowed eyes, her expression gradually shifting to a worried glance. "Something's on my face, isn't it? I knew that this eyeliner would smudge!"

"No, it's- never mind."

Glancing briefly at his watch, Mogi wondered if perhaps he was just being immature. Maybe he was just underestimating the blond. Maybe, she was a lot smarter than he'd originally thought. Maybe it was time for him to approach the situation with a positive attitude- what would Matsuda do?

Mogi frowned at the thought of the man doting over the blond's success, following her like a loyal canine with an infatuated beam upon his face- it was too late for Matsuda he decided promptly, glancing back to the blond only to discover that she'd vanished from sight.

"Dammit," he cursed in irritation, scanning the set for the familiar sight to blond hair. With the enormous black heels she was wearing, Mogi vowed that she wouldn't be hard to miss, nor could she have wondered far. 'How do women walk in those things anyway?' he mused gloomily, deciding that he'd draw the short straw that morning...

_A few hours later_

Raking a hand through his hair in frustration, Mogi continued his search.

Feet beginning to ache, he eyed the grotty pavement and the abused brickwork in disapproval. He'd searched thoroughly, or so he'd thought so until he'd come across the dingy backstreet located behind what appeared to be some kind of manufacturing company, slips of cardboard and plastic tags overflowing from the black bins perched beside a dull sign that read 'delivery bay', which was attached to a wire fence beside a padlocked gate.

He wondered dismally if she would really be _here_ of all places.

Retrieving the mobile from his pocket, he dialled the number from memory, which was much harder than it seemed as Mogi tended to forget the ever changing array of digits; Ryuzaki regularly changed the number for security purposes, and insisted that saving it to any kind of contact list simply wasn't acceptable in case the phone was lost or stolen.

After only a few rings, a familiar dreary voice answered in a tone that reflected the growing severity of the situation.

"We cannot wait any longer. I'll arrange a search, with the exception of myself and Raito-kun of course."

"Just give me another half an hour," Mogi insisted, footsteps sounding against the pavement with an audible thud.

"I'm afraid that isn't possible," the detective replied, a tone of authority emerging from his lips. "This isn't simply a case of hide and seek anymore-"

"I know that," Mogi retorted sharply, quickly beginning to lose his usual calm and restrained composure, "but she can't have disappeared out of thin air- she's got to be around here somewhere!"

"You know the procedure Mogi," L stated rather sternly, "it's been three hours, which means we must treat this as a missing person case."

"This shouldn't have happened," Mogi cursed intensely, continuing to stroll through the quiet walkway, a clag as a discarded can collided with the wall after being kicked carelessly with his right foot.

"Let us not dwell on the past, but instead avert our attention to the present," the detective said expressionlessly, quickly regaining his calm demeanour.

"Ryuzaki, can't you at least be angry with me for five minutes?"

"That would accomplish nothing."

"It'd make me feel better..."

"Misa Amane is important to this investigation, however we are all human. We make mistakes, and some of us learn from them," L said, refraining from adding a further 'I should know', deciding that some things were best being unsaid. After all, his pride had already taken a substantial battering during the past few weeks. "I'll send a car to meet you at the location of the commercial shoot, and from there we will organise a thorough search- hello?"

Mogi felt something knot and wreathe in the pit of his stomach as he instantly recognised the ominous, yet familiar stench of blood that filled air; his eyes widened significantly in realisation at the sight of a familiar black heel lying inanimately on the cold floor. His heart pounded vigorously against his ribs like a bird beating its wings against the bars of a small cage-

"Hello?"

"R-Ryuzaki?"

"Yes?"

"I... I think I'm going to be sick..."


End file.
